Harry Potter and the Weaving Lines of Fate Part 3
by yinyangsangel
Summary: REWRITE. Fate is funny. One would expect that they are straight and guide a person down the road that they is ahead of them. However it isn't true. They aren't straight. The weave and twist, entwining different souls together and bringing them together. Giving new destinies and sending others on a journey to heal and mend. But fate never forgets.
1. A NEW LIFE

"Tii Momo! TII MOMO!"

Moria's eyes snapped open and she shot up from her bed. She fell onto the floor, cursing as pain shot through her knees but the sounds of Harry crying followed by the startled wails of Max sent her into panic mode and she shot up, grabbing her wand and casted Lumos.

"Harry?! What-!?" She began to ask but saw that Harry was now clinging onto the side of his cot bawling.

"Bad man! Bad man hurt Mama!" he cried and Moria's heart froze. A nightmare…a pretty bad one at that. She pocketed her wand, before picking up the sobbing boy. She could hear grumbles and people throwing things down on the floor above her, rattling the ceiling. From each of her sides she was pretty sure that she heard people telling her to shut up.

"Ssshhh…it's okay Harry. The bad man isn't here. I promise." She said rocking him. His sobbing however didn't diminish. "It's okay sweetie…I've got you." She said softly rubbing his back. She should have expected some type of nightmares even after a year, but she Merlin she wouldn't have thought it was this bad. He was still shaking.

No way would he sleep in his bed tonight like this. "Come here." she suggested softly and he curled up to her whimpering as she walked over to her bed and placed him on it. She glanced at Max who was also wailing most likely out of surprise that Harry started crying. She couldn't leave Max and pulled the little girl out of her cot as well and walked over, sitting the infant next to Harry before grabbed two blankets and both their favorite stuffed toys. A stuffed deer for Harry, a stuffed dog for Max. She helped both children settle into the bed, leaving the middle open for her. Moria climbed into the bed and sat down, settling down in between both children. Max, who was closest to the wall and already nearly asleep, nuzzled her stuffed dog and allowed her mother to tuck her in before her large, innocent eyes fell heavy with sleep and Max quickly returned to the dream world. Moria smiled in the dark. Just like Sirius.

She then turned her attentions to Harry. Even in the dark, she could see Harry's eyes staring at her, soft sniffling coming from the small form. She laid down, resting her head onto her hand, the other going over to Harry and rubbing his back. "Harry, it's okay to have a nightmare." She soothed but he just let out a small whimper, burrowing his head into her chest. She sighed, running her hand through his hair, trying to figure out how to soothe the boy. Then an idea sparked.

"Have I ever told you the tale of Prongs, Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail and when they met the Squid from the Black Lake in Hogwarts?" she asked and Harry looked at her, shaking his tiny head, his eyes grew wide in surprise. "Do you want me to tell you it?" She asked. His eyes widened further, before nodding vigorously, clutching the deer to his chest tightly. Moria smiled and then began the tale, smiling at the little's boy reactions. Then slowly, Harry's eyes began to droop and his breathing began to even out. Slowly he fell asleep, nestled into her warmth.

It was odd, what the presence of someone else in the room could do to a person. Ever since she had come here, she had had issues with sleep, waking up every now and then in a cold sweat at the nightmares that plagued her. But now, with one child clutching the back of her shirt, the other clutching the front, her own eyes grew heavy and her body grew relaxed and slowly sleep took her as well.

Dreams came soon after…not the nightmares that had plagued her…but of memories of her Hogwarts years.

* * *

_**"Lily, you aren't tossing the rocks correctly. "**__Moria stated as she watched another rock go flying into the lake, landing in the water with a loud 'KER-PLUNK' and a large wave splashed upwards. __**"You do it like your flinging a Frisbee." **__Moria explained again, grabbing a flat river rock and flinging it, watching it skip across the surface. Lily grumbled crossing her arms._

_**"Six years…and I still haven't gotten it right."**_

_**"Don't be too hard on yourself. "**__Moria said a smile on her face as she pushed her hair from her face._ _**"It took me years to get it right. At least you never fell in. "**__she stated. __**"I nearly drowned when I was ten." **__She added and Lily let a laugh out. She then glanced at her watch._

_**"Ah, bloody hell I'm going to be late for my class. See ya, Moria."**__ Lily said quickly gathering her books and waved as she hurried back to the castle. Moria smiled then sat down at the embankment looking at the lake and sighing softly._

_**"Hullo my pretty girlfriend."**__ A voice called out and Moria smiled looking behind her to see Sirius leaning on a tree._

_**"Hello yourself."**__ She teased as he walked up before sitting down with a slight grunt next to her. __**"So, how was Divination?"**_

_**"Well one thing about my future is clear. I will never be a psychic."**__ He joked stated and she laughed. He grinned before capturing her chin between his index and middle finger gently. __**"As you can see there is no one here."**__ He murmured and she smiled. _

_**"Ah…you would be right."**__ She said quietly before he drew her into a kiss. She smiled softly and then felt him suddenly grin. She knew that grin. __**"What are you-"**_

_Before she had time to comprehend the situation he had picked her up and quite literally tossed her into the lake. She sat up sputtering, playfully glaring at him as he laughed. She returned the favor by throwing water at him, soaking him. _

_**"Oh this is war woman!"**__ He yelled out jumping into the shallow water. Moria laughed loudly scrambling to her feet, rushing away as he chased after her. It wasn't until hours later that they finally managed to get back to the Gryffindor Common Room gaining several looks as they passed by, completely and totally soaked._

_It wasn't a surprise that the next day they both came down with colds._

* * *

Moria shifted in her sleep and slowly woke up, partially blinded by the light that was peeking through the blinds. She felt wetness on her cheeks and realized she had been crying. She sighed brushing under her eyes glancing down. Both Harry and Max were still asleep. Moria sighed pushing her hair back.

She missed him. She missed him terribly.

She cursed softly to herself, fingering her necklace that was resting on her chest before looking at the wedding ring. It still was there.

Chelsea had suggested taking it off…but she couldn't. No matter how much he had hurt her, no matter what had happened…she couldn't deny it.

She still loved him.

She would always love him.

That…at least that…she knew was a fact.

* * *

She awoke to crying again and blinked sleepily. It had been several weeks since Harry's nightmare, and he hadn't had one recently. This crying was different, higher-pitched, louder. She sat up and looked sleepily to where Max and Harry were. Harry, ironically, was dead asleep, oblivious to the loud wails that were in the cot directly next to him. She walked over to the cot and peered in. Max was so much like her father. He would complain just to complain. She would cry just to cry.

"Shh…shh…" Moria cooed, running Max's stomach in a calming fashion, but it did little. And it did nothing to stop her neighbors become frustrated. She looked up when there was pounding on the apartment door. Harry flinched but remained asleep and Max quieted, tears still in the corners of her eyes as Moria stood and walked over to the door and opened it, becoming face to face with her neighbor, who looked enraged, tired, and downright nasty. She heard Max stop completely, most likely to listen to the other voices.

"What time do you think it is?!" He snapped and Moria stared at him, partially glad that he still thought she understood no Italian. Thank goodness for charms. "Stop with the noise!"

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "My daughter is just having-"

"Every single night, it's the same damn thing for crying out loud!" He snarled. Moria frowned, her anger brewing.

"I'm really sorry…my daughter is just having a bad night."

"More like a bad mother." The neighbor grumbled and Moria blinked in surprise before her eyes narrowed.

"Excuse me?!" She roared and he clearly looked startled that she understood that, before his eyes narrowed. "How am I a bad mother!?"

"Mother's should know how to stop their children from crying. What's more, that boy of yours ruined my flowers yesterday-"

"You left them in the middle of the hallway!" Moria retorted.

"But having a mother who sleeps around and gets lumped with two children, it isn't a surprise that they can't be taught discipline!" the man spat out. Moria's eyes seemed to glow now.

"Tell me…do YOU have children?" She asked, her voice soft. Her neighbor seemed surprised by this.

"Of course I don't."

"Well then, if you would be ever so kind…once you give birth to one child and legally adopt your godson so you can take care of them yourself, gladly come visit me with your complaints." Moria barked before slamming the door shut. She turned around and slid to the ground, burying her head in her arms. She only looked up when she heard whimpering again and sighing, she stood up and walked back to the bedroom, and over to Max's cot, picking her one year old daughter again.

She knew that Max didn't have colic…she wasn't that stupid.

Max wanted Sirius.

Moria sighed and looked around at the small apartment. Her lease would be ending soon…and she needed a new place. She wasn't about to stay here. She just didn't know what she could do. She was 22…she needed a job…a new place…a lot of stuff.

"Ugh…Mum, Dad. Right now anything you could give me, would be a blessing." She whispered as she continued to bounce Max. Anything would be a blessing. Anything at all.

* * *

"_So how's life in the land of the pasta, Angel?"_

"Uncle Jacob, you REALLY aren't helping." Moria complained as she rested her head on the dining room table as Harry and Max sat watching the small television. The phone shifted in her hand as he chuckled.

"_That bad, huh?"_

"I got into an argument with my neighbor, who accused me of being…promiscuous."

"_He accused you…of being a...SLUT?"_

"Yes Uncle Jacob, thank you for that wonderful reminder." Moria thanked dryly. "How's life going in the UK?"

"_Ah, the normal really. I've started dating, if you must know. But that's not why I called you…how are you? Really?"_

"Stressed. I have to start looking for a place to live in, and Harry's been having issues with nightmares, and Max is just crying because she feels like it, and-"

"_Is she crying just for the sake? Or is it because she wants Sirius there?"_ Jacob asked. Moria went silent and Jacob sighed. _"What about you? I know losing your best friends, your husband, your home-"_

"I get it Uncle Jacob." Moria snapped tiredly. "How do you think I feel?"

"_Alone. Terrified. In need of guidance, which you probably aren't getting living in the town. I think you need to get out of the city and live in the country. Seclusion always did wonders for your parents. And you aren't really that much of a social person."_

"Which is all good in theory, but buying a place in the Italian country isn't really cost efficient as those probably cost a fortune. I mean I have my mother's inheritance but..."

"_Why not just use the place that your great-grandparents lived in?"_

"Huh?" Moria asked in confusion, perking up. She heard Jacob chuckle on the other end.

"_Yeah, your great-grandparents. Maarten's grandparents. After their son was all grown up, they moved to __Rhêmes-Notre-Dame in Aosta Valley. It's the region right next to Biella. It's still in the Prescott name and everything."_

"…And you didn't tell me this before because…"

"_Because I thought you knew. Geez, Moria, you lived with your aunt and uncles…I thought they talked about that shit." _Jacob drawled. Moria rolled her eyes.

"It never crossed my mind to ask about my great-grandparents, seeing as they had already died by the time I was born." Moria responded. "I'll ask Aunt Madge when she visits."

"_Okay, Angel. Oh and tell the two rugrats that Uncle Jacob and Uncle William send them two wet willy's."_

Moria laughed.

"Sure Uncle Jacob. I'll go ahead and tell them. And Uncle Jacob?"

"_Hm?"_

"Thanks…you always have the best advice."

"_Course I do."_

* * *

"As you can see, there isn't much around here after you leave the town." Madge commented as they drove through the small town. "Where the house is, in comparison the town is about thirty minutes away…that includes hospitals, schools. And that's by car. Which you don't have."

"You forget I'm a witch, Aunt Madge."

"Still…I know you want to raise Max and Harry in a good environment, but your great-grandparents were a bit reclusive. Is it really fair to them to live so far away from the town?"

"You forgot that I moved for the sole purpose of Harry being left alone." Moria reminded her aunt. "Besides…" Moria trailed off looking in the backseat at Max and Harry who were both fast asleep. Madge glanced at her niece before staring back at the road. "Besides…I might not even like it." Moria commented as she stared out into the scenery. She could see the Alps in the distance and the world seemed like she had stepped into postcard. Finally Madge stopped the car down a long driveway and she could see at the end a side of a house. Harry shifted in the sling that he was in, held to her back as Moria clutched Max to her chest. The four walked up the road and Moria stopped in surprise at the house ahead of them.

"It's huge…" she murmured. It looked like one of those medieval homes she had seen in muggle history books. It seemed to have three stories, and a long staircase on the close side where she was which led to the room upstairs. A shed was situated right next to the staircase. Though depleted looking, the yard overgrown, windows broken, in need of a serious painting job…it looked…she didn't know… beautiful in its own way.

"There's supposed to be three sheds outside, but only two of them; the one attached to the house and the one on in back to the right, is usable. The third one collapsed after Granny died."

"Why so many?"

"One was Granny's gardening shed and another was Pop's hobby shed. The third one was just the general yard and knick-knack stuff." Madge explained. "Now I know since we own the place, the rent is free." Madge continued as she grunted, trying to force the front door open. It finally did with an unholy screech and the two women entered. "But the amount for repairs and refurnishing would be really pricey." She argued as they entered what looked like to be a living room. The wood floors look rotted and another stair well lay to the left of them, leading up to the second floor.

"Keep your shoes on. I don't know what's living in here." Madge offered as Moria began to explore. Harry shifted sleepily in her on her back, but remained asleep. She saw a porch to her right as Mable began to force the sliding doors open. To her left were a dining room and a kitchen, also filled with rotted wood, and windows that had no glass.

"It's really debilitated, but electricity and water can still run, which is good I guess." Madge said looking out in the overgrown backyard. "There's a stream nearby, if I remember correctly…but like I said, a lot of people don't live this far away."

"So the neighborhood?" Moria asked as she looked up the stairs. Madge followed her niece's movements as they slowly made their way up the steps to the second floor. Two bedrooms was on this floor, and at the end of the hall was a bathroom that she could see a large amount of tiles were missing. Madge laughed at her niece's question.

"Neighborhood? There are probably a few people who live around you, but they're probably just as reclusive as Granny and Pop…and the townspeople don't go this far up. Like I said Granny and Pop were reclusive as they got older." Madge informed. The two women went up to the third floor and Moria saw that this place had probably been used either as an attic that had a bathroom in the corner, or where her father and siblings would stay during their visits. Glancing at Madge confirmed her suspicions.

Finally the pair walked down, Moria still holding Harry and Max. Madge continued to walk.

"Why don't we go look somewhere else? Around the town would be more practical-"

"Nah…I'll take this place."

"Huh?" Madge asked, turning around fully to look at her niece as though she had lost her mind. Moria offered a small smile as she ran her hand over the front door frame.

"I said I'll take this place."

Madge stared at her niece and then let out a weak groan, as though she already knew this.

"Could you be ANYMORE like your father?"

Moria merely smiled.

* * *

Harry shifted and realized to his surprise that he was lying on his travel cot, Max curled up next to him. Blinking he sat up and rubbed his eyes, and looked around. This wasn't the old hotel they were staying in after they had moved out of the apartment. This wasn't even Great-auntie Madge's rental car. He was lying on a closed in porch of an old house, whose door's had been shoved open, allowing a soft warm breeze to filter through.

"Tii Momo?" He called out sleepily.

"I'm right here, Harry." A soft voice called out and he turned to see Moria sitting on the porch, her feet dangling off the edge.

"Where are we?" Harry asked and Moria smiled.

"Our new house."

Harry looked around and gave Moria a disbelieving look and she laughed.

"It will need a little bit of elbow grease, but this place will be home. Promise." She declared. Harry then offered a bright smile which grew bigger at the prospect of this being home. It beat having the cramped apartment with mean neighbors that always yelled at them. He glanced out into the overgrown yard and Moria smiled.

"Go on. You can go explore." She informed and he slid off the porch, laughing happily. Max woke up soon after and blinked looking around. She clambered onto her feet and went over to a beam of the porch, watching as Harry ran around, looking at an old shed that its' foundation had slid to the side a bit, slanting the building.

"It crooked! It crooked!" Harry declared wildly as he ran around the yard, going to the other side where the debris of a third building, most likely a third shed, and half the side of it was completely covered by grass…only a part of the tiled roof was still visible. He stopped in confusion.

"What's that?" He yelled out, but didn't give Moria time to answer as he ran up and scrambled up the non-grassy tiled floor, before sliding down it. Max continued to hesitantly watch Harry, perfectly content at staying on that porch. That is until a lizard crawled its way up past her hand. She let out a slight yelp and toddled to her mother, curling up to Moria who laughed softly and ran her hand over Max's head.

"So? What do you think?"

"I like it!" Harry yelled out, still running around in circles. Max seemed to be a bit less receptive of the place, but nonetheless nodded. It was a few weeks later when trio received some visitors.

Moria at first didn't notice them as she pulled out some more rotted wood on the bottom floor, tossing it into the pile nearby. Only when she heard the gravel of the road crackle around her did she look up, grabbing her wand and going over to the front of the home. She blinked in surprise.

"Wha…Uncle Will? Uncle Jacob?" She called out and then looked in surprise as Martin, Monroe, Mitchell, and Madge stepped out of the two cars. A pop and a lot of cursing came a few seconds later and she was surprised to see the Ellesmere's, Wulfric holding a rotted book, appear.

"You know, portkey's seem to make the world easier." Jacob grumbled as he stretched his back. "It beats the flight and drive we had to do."

"What are you all doing here?" Moria asked in surprise as Max and Harry hid behind her legs. William gave a grin.

"You think we would let you fend for yourself in the Prescott family home makeover?" Jacob asked, patting Moria on the shoulder. "Please." Moria glanced at him suspiciously her hand never leaving where her wand was. William seemed to notice.

"You wet the bed until you were three and then would literally sit on the toilet all night to make sure you didn't wet it ever again." He informed and Moria flushed but slowly moved her hand down from the wand.

"Couldn't you have said something different?" Moria asked under her breath.

"Well I could have, but what fun would have that been?" William asked and Moria rolled her eyes before looking over at her maternal family. "You came as well?"

"Why not?" Cepheus asked with a grin. "We were all in need of a vacation. And our kids can keep Harry and Max out of your hair." He added, motioning towards his daughters, Wulfric's son and daughter, and Mathilde's son. Moria stared at him as though to make sure he wasn't kidding before she looked at Harry and Max and offered them a bright smile.

"Well looks like we're going to have some more helpers." Moria responded and the two toddlers grinned.

* * *

"So what brought you all here?" Moria asked as she retrieved the wood step that Monroe was pulling up. Her uncle offered a smile as he looked at her.

"Jacob and William really. Madge came back telling us you were getting this place and they essentially lobbied to get us all here. It wouldn't have been hard to convince us, but they were adamant."

"And the Ellesmere's?" Moria asked.

"They were a bit more difficult to actually locate, but they were open to the idea." Monroe responded with a grunt as he pulled a rather stubborn step up. "So what did you manage to fix up?"

"I managed to get the bedroom floor all done, and the roof isn't leaking anymore and I managed to fix the attic floor. Once Harry and Max are old enough, and if they want separate bedrooms, I can make that their bedroom." She explained, counting off what she had done. "After the stairs were done I was headed to the kitchen."

"You managed quite well by yourself."

"Ah…the wonders of a little…magic…and staying up for a few nights." She teased and her uncle chuckled. He looked up and had to laugh at the several areas that he knew were mended.

"Dare I ask what happened?"

"You ever had centipedes falling from the ceiling onto your head?" Moria asked and he burst out laughing.

* * *

"She misses him."

Wulfric looked up from the room that he and Cepheus were working on and looked back down at his work, flicking his wand to repair a broken floor beam.

"Hm?"

"Don't 'hm' me. Sirius. She misses Sirius."

"That doesn't surprise me." Wulfric replied as the pair walked out of the room and went to the bathroom. "Those two were essentially attached to the hip. Anyone like that would be devastated by a loss that she went through."

"And yet you don't do anything."

"In the Ministry's eyes, what Sirius did or didn't do is already said and done with. You know that I already tried, and Crouch literally threatened to hex me." Wulfric explained. "Even if I did manage, what proof would I have?"

"Sirius could always-"

"I'm the uncle of Sirius's wife, Cepheus…they won't give me Veritaserum, and it's illegal to smuggle it out. And if I did and gave it to him, do you really think that they would believe him? Crouch would just see another crime to add to Sirius's record and would dismiss it completely."

Cepheus cursed. "He should be here…Moria's an excellent mum…but even she'll need help eventually. And she won't let him go."

"I know…but what can we do? She's Mable in spirit." Wulfric responded as he repaired the broken sink. "She'll be stubborn as hell and won't budge. That's all part of her charm."

* * *

It had been several weeks since her family had come down to visit her and help out. It had been fun…interesting…so many things. She had learned more about her family, her maternal side, her mother. For the first time in a year, remembering the past didn't seem to be painful. They had left a week or so ago, and she was finishing up cleaning. As she ran a cloth over a wood beam, she became aware of deliberate notches. She bent down a bit and observed it a bit closer.

_Martin, Age 10_

_Mitchel, Age 9_

_Madge, Age 8_

_Monroe, Age 7_

_Maarten, Age 5_

_Malcolm, Age 5_

She stared at the notches and it dawned on her that this had been how tall her father had been each time he had visited. Nimbly she scanned upward and saw that the last time he had done so, was around when he had been 16.

"Max, Harry." She called out and she heard two pairs of tiny feet rush towards her and seconds later, Max and Harry arrived. She offered a smile and gestured to the pole. "Come here. And let me measure you two."

Tentatively they did so and Harry stood proud and tall as Moria scratched a new notch into the wood. He moved away and Max did the same and she repeated the movement. She smiled.

"Look Harry, you're the same size as my father when he was three. You're so tall." She congratulated and he flushed. "And you Max, are the same size as…my aunt Madge when she was 1 as well." She cooed and Max flushed, hiding her head into Harry's shoulder. She smiled and then stood up.

"Well, you two go and get ready. We're going to go visit Chelsea soon." She reminded and Harry and Max grinned.

* * *

Chelsea looked up from where sat on the couch of her flat as she heard the sound of the floo, Mheetu's tiny head shot up before bolting into the bedroom, most likely to hide under the bed. Aslana and Ashes however just continued basking in the sunlight, not even shifting. Chelsea rolled her eyes at her cats before standing and going to the kitchen, and glanced in. Her look of confusion changed to a bright smile as Harry, Max, and Moria were stepping out of the fireplace and Moria was patting the soot off of the children. The two children held in their tiny hands, two small bags of cookies which they lifted up to the other woman, smiling brightly.

"Oh what lovely looking cookies. You two must be so proud of yourselves." Chelsea said allowing them inside. The children blushed at the compliment before scampering in and placing the cookies onto the dinner table that Chelsea owned. They then began to run around playing with Aslana who was scampering around happily, excited at the new guests. Ashes, as expected, made no movement preferring to ignore the annoying toddlers.

"So…how is everything?" Chelsea asked glancing at Moria. Moria offered a small smile.

"It's fine." She said. Chelsea glanced at her left hand and Moria sighed. "Chelsea, please…don't bring it up again."

"Moria. What if he never gets out?" Chelsea asked and Moria stilled. "Are you really going to just stay waiting for him?" she continued and Moria was quiet. "It's noble to do that, but Moria-!"

"Chelsea…please, drop it." Moria said and Chelsea sighed realizing that it was a lost cause.

"I hope that I manage to find a guy that I will wait for if anything happens to him." Chelsea said and Moria smirked. "So…anything new?"

"…I've been thinking."

"Yes?"

"The age limit to start training as an auror in Italy is 24 and since I'm 22…"

"…Yes?" Chelsea remarked, staring at Moria in confusion. Then realization slapped her in the face. "You can't be serious."

"Sirius is my husband and- OW!" she yelped as she was smacked upside the head.

"I doubt that even James or Remus would resist hitting you upside the head for that horrible joke." Chelsea grumbled. "But seriously? An Auror?"

"Yeah."

"Why?!"

"Because I want to make a difference." Moria responded. "I was a healer in England, and look at what that brought me. I lost my two best friends, and my husband in one swoop. And to be honest…I'm not sure if it was even me that wanted to be a healer or…or I was trying to do so to apologize to Logan for not making it for his dream." Moria explained with a sigh. She offered a spiteful smirk. "Chelsea…can you please just be there if I do go ahead and try?" She asked. Chelsea stared at her and then sighed.

"Oh alright." She grumbled and Moria smiled.

* * *

"Harry, Mummy said not to play with Ashes." Max said watching as the boy got closer and closer to the aged cat.

"I'm not gonna play with her. I'm gonna pet her." He said as though that made sense. Max however looked apprehensive. Harry however ignored her nervousness and continued to crusade of petting the aged cat. Ashes let a low growl out, warning the boy to move away. Harry continued to ignore the obvious signs that this wasn't a good idea and advanced.

* * *

"Hey…Harry and Max have gotten quiet all of a sudden." Chelsea stated glancing at the bedroom. Moria looked as well. That was true. Where-

Suddenly there was a yowl followed by a yelp. Moria groaned. They had found Ashes.

* * *

"Harry, this would be why I told you not to bug Ashes. She has a penchant for being mean." Moria remarkedd when they got home. Harry winced as she dabbed the three small scratches on his face before kissing them and placing a bandaid on each. Harry rubbed the corners of his eyes, brushing away the tears. Moria smiled calmly, ruffling his hair.

"How about a cookie?" she asked and he nodded causing her to grin. Apparently cookies solved everything for the little boy. She grunted as she picked him up, Max clutching her pant leg as she followed apparently wanting a cookie as well.

"Okay you two. Which cookie shape do you want?" she asked the two.

"Deer!" Harry exclaimed, pointing at a sugar cookie excitedly.

"Dog!" Max said, pointing at a chocolate chip cookie just as excited and Moria held back a laugh before handing the cookies to the small children, who began to eat them happily. She looked up at the window and offered a soft breath. The future was just around the corner.

**SO HERE IS THE START OF PART THREE :)**

** WHAT THE HOUSE LOOKS LIKE:**

**yinyangswings . deviantart art / The - Prescott - Italian - Villa - 380073748  
**

**yinyangswings . deviantart art / The - Prescott - Italian - Villa - Bedrooms - 380073938**

**yinyangswings . deviantart art / The - Prescott - Italian - Villa - Kitchen - Dining - Room - 380073910**

**yinyangswings . deviantart art / The - Prescott - Italian - Villa - Living - Room - Porch - 380073883**

**yinyangswings . deviantart art / The - Prescott - Italian - Villa - Bathroom - 380073960**


	2. A NEW PATH

She didn't remember Alice, James, Sirius, and Lily ever having to do so much paperwork to enter the Auror department, Moria mused dryly. Granted she supposed that maybe they had done it and Sirius just chose not to mention it as he hated paperwork and anything that involved sitting still for several minutes.

Max and Harry were with Chelsea at the moment…she hadn't wanted to drag them here, for Harry to possibly gain unwanted attention, and for the fact she didn't know how long she would be here.

Biting her lip she glanced at the remaining item of the paperwork, what she had put off for the final part. What should she put as her last name?

She was, by all technicalities, still married to Sirius…but would being a Black hurt her chances? On the other hand putting down the name Prescott, was, while probably legal, still lying as that wasn't her last name anymore. After a few more minutes of staring at that piece of the parchment, she sighed and then wrote the full name out.

_Moria Black_

* * *

There was a legend about old lady who lived in Apartment 301, the apartment directly across from Chelsea's apartment. She was Madame Olga…or better known as the Witch of Biella. To Harry the name part was silly. They made it sound like witches were the epitome of evil.

But that didn't mean the idea of Madam Olga didn't worry him.

_"It's only because of Maxi." _He thought, or rather encouraged himself, to think. Yeah, he didn't want Max to get swallowed up by Madame Olga.

Or rather that was what the legend had said.

The legend went that Madame Olga had emigrated from Germany and lived alone, she had lived in other places, but every time she lived in one place that hadn't been Biella, people would disappear after they came to her house. They said she was a demon who ate those who were foolish enough to wander into her yard and she would eat them whole.

Needless to say, Harry and Max stayed as far away as they could from that yard whenever they visited Chelsea. Max preferred to stay close to Harry whenever it was just the two of them. He couldn't really blame her though. It didn't matter which place they were, boys found the fact that Max was so pale and had such dark hair and a different eye color than them hilarious, and would tease her because of it. And even though she made it seem like it didn't bother her, Harry hated when they did that and had several times shoved them to leave her alone.

So whenever Moria needed to go out, they went to Chelsea's place. And whenever that happened they would explore the complex and meet the colorful neighbors of the duplex. They had met Old Man Acquisto, who would randomly start yelling and trying to swat at invisible people, Miss Ragusa, who would always have to go to the bathroom every five minutes, which sometimes resulted in burnt cookies, and the Bachelli family, who all had a name that was originally a cheese, already.

"Ugh…you've got to be kidding me." Chelsea grumbled and the two looked up from their game as Chelsea walked out of the living room, pushing her hair back.

"Wha Tii Chesea?" Max asked. Chelsea sighed.

"One of my coworkers came down with the chicken pox and had to stay at home. I'm being called in. Come on, you two. I need you drop you off with one of the neighbors." The two children looked at her and then nodded excitedly. Maybe they would play chess with Acquisto or have some cookies with Miss Ragusa, or-!"

They watched in mute horror as Chelsea walked across the middle section of the apartment complex. To Apartment 301.

"Tii Chel, wait!" Harry cried out trying to pull Moria away from the door. Chelsea looked at the two petrified children in amusement.

"What is it?"

"You can't go in there! Haven't you heard the stories?!" Harry asked in a panic glancing at the looming apartment. "She eat people!"

"Who? Ms. Olga? Oh come off it, I highly doubt that she is a cannibal, Harry." Chelsea said

"Bu-!" Max complained, but stopped when the door opened with a slow and eerie creek. Both children hid behind Chelsea as though she was a shield. She was coming out, the demon, the one and only-!

An elderly woman walked out, one hand clutching the door handle the other pressed to her back as though to keep her balanced. Chelsea smiled kindly at the elderly woman.

"Hello Miss Olga. I'm really sorry, but could you watch over these two for me until their mother comes back?" she asked as the two children stared at the woman in confusion. She definitely didn't look like anything that Harry or Max had imagined she would look like, or the way the kids had described her. She just looked like an old lady.

"Oh yes, I know that the job of being a nurse sometimes can take priority." She said in a thick German accent but in perfect English. The two were about to say no but the look on Chelsea's face made them nod and glance warily at the old woman, who merely smiled at them before entering the apartment and listening as Chelsea dispparated away. It looked like any normal apartment. It was pretty messy though.

"Don't go around standing. Please. Sit." Olga said softly motioning to a sofa. The two children did as they were told, watching the old woman as she shuffled to an old cabinet.

"Missus." Max finally managed to squeak out. "Why isn't it clean? Isn't your Mummy gonna be mad for not having a clean house?" she asked innocently. Olga merely laughed softly.

"I can't bend down to clean my place sweetheart." She replied, her voice rough. "Here…have some candy." She suggested and handed her and Harry two pieces of chocolate. They automatically begin to nibble on it, their sweet tooth taking over. The older woman smiled sitting down in a rickety old rocking chair, creaking slightly as the woman's weight. The two children looked at each other, still nibbling on the chocolate before glancing at the surrounding. It was pretty packed in this small apartment. But like all toddlers their curiosity began to rise.

"Um…may we look around?" Harry finally asked and the old woman's wrinkled face broke into a grin.

"Oh go ahead." She commented waving her hand allowing them to wander. They caught sight of an aged tattoo marking on her arm, something they never expected that an elderly woman to have. But their curiosity got the better of them of what was in the surrounding piles. The two quickly got off of the sofa and began to observe. To Max she could see mountains of stuff each one had a different objects towering up. However her eyes landed on a dusty pad of paper. Carefully, as to not disturb the mountain resting on top of it, she pulled it out and began to look through each aged page, her eyes staring at the faded colors and lines of people, places, and items.

"Did you draw these?" Max finally asked looking at the woman who shook her head.

"My younger sister did before..." She trailed off as though the thought of her sister was painful, before looking back at the young girl. "Do you like it?" she asked. Max nodded, a glow on her face. "Then you can keep it." She said and Max looked up stunned. "Add to it your own drawings. Allow your imagination soar. Magic takes place within the folds of your imagination. Draw out those folds." Olga implored softly.

Max was so shocked at the woman giving her a drawing pad that she didn't have the heart to tell her that magic wasn't just in the folds of the imagination before nodding happily clutching the sketch pad like it was her treasure. Harry likewise had found other objects that met his fancy and like Max, had asked Olga if he could have them. She agreed, smiling at the youngsters.

And that's what they continued doing for the few hours before Moria came to pick them up. The children waved goodbye to Olga and Moria laughed. "So? Was that so bad?" Moria asked the two, who both shook their head.

"Did you see the stuff she had!? So unreal!" Harry exclaimed playing with the large yoyo he had found. Max nodded in agreement. The moment they got home, Max rushed off to find her own colored pencils and crayons. Throughout the rest of the night she drew, drew whatever came across her mind and learned that Olga had been right.

It may not be the magic that her mother or Chelsea did…not even the magic that she and Harry every now and then did accidentally. But it was a different type of magic that unfolded and allowed her emotions to flow out through her hands. She could draw figures, dreams, nightmares…anything she wanted on the paper.

She continued drawing throughout the night only stopping when she fell asleep and Moria had had to pry the sketchpad out of her hands and placed it on the bookshelf. Harry was a little bit easier as his toys that he had acquired were only a WWII combat hat and a yoyo which he had been calling himself 'Commando Harry' using his yoyo to bring justice to the citizens that lived under the sofa.

_"Only the spawn of James…"_ Moria thought as she placed the hat and yoyo on the nightstand next to Harry's bed. She gently tucked in both children kissing them on the forehead before leaving their room and going to her own. She was exhausted and barely had energy to change and flop onto her bed. Slowly she fell asleep.

* * *

It was late at night and everyone inside the house was asleep. Max and Harry were resting peacefully in their bedroom. Moria was resting in her own bedroom, however, unlike her daughter and godson, her sleep was far from peaceful. Moria shot up out of her bed, panting hard shaking horribly. Her right hand gripped her left shoulder as though it burned again. It hadn't for years…at least it physically didn't hurt. Mentally however it was a constant throbbing reminder of the war…of what she had lost. She sighed running her fingers through hair.

When? When would this stop?

She didn't know…she supposed she would never know. She sighed and rested against the bed again.

Nothing would save her from those nightmares.

That she knew.

* * *

If she had ever thought the Ministry of Magic in the UK had been busy, it seemed that the Italian Ministry took the cake. She narrowly moved in-between people who were all rushing around. The Italian Ministry itself was quite different than what she had imagined. In the UK Ministry, the walls were covered with dark tiles, and the only main source of light had been over the fountain in the middle of the Atrium surrounded by long columns of offices, each normally with a person in the room. People would hurry along to their destination, annoyed and somewhat unhappy expressions would be on most of their faces.

Here was somewhat different. The tiles were white, mosaics were designed in the walls. There were lights on the ceiling going down the archway, lighting up the halls. But still it was busy. And while people were happier around here, they seemed to be busy. That hadn't changed much, she mused dryly as she entered a large room, filled with young men. There was a small spatter of women, all whom who looked nervous and were earning some disgusted glares by the men. _"Interesting…"_ She thought as she sat down in the corner towards the exit of the room. She glanced around. She was probably the oldest one in the place. There was a bunch of wide-eyed young adults who were just fresh out of whatever school Italy used to teach their young wizards and witches.

"Ooh! Another girl!"

Suddenly a girl seemed to appear right in front of her looking ecstatically, almost in relief. She had short dark brown wavy hair, shorter than her own, and it almost looked like it had been pressed into place so it looked perfect. She had inquisitive brown eyes.

Moria thought she looked like a young girl being introduced to a candy store for the first time. "Uh…hello to you too." She replied rather awkwardly, unsure on how to react. Even Lily and Alice hadn't been this bold when they met. The girl smiled brightly.

"My name's Rosetta. Rosetta Goretti." She greeted, holding her hand out. Moria, a still confused by the sudden attention, hesitantly gripped the hand.

"Moria. Moria Black."

"Oh it's nice to meet a friendly face." The girl replied happily. Moria wasn't sure if she was the best one for the term 'friendly face' but she offered a slight smile. And with that, apparently it meant to Rosetta that it was safe to talk to her. And talk she did. Rather loudly and quickly, too rapidly to where Moria had difficulty understanding the quick dialect of Italian. As she partially listened to the girl talk, she watched as a man came in. He was one of bulk, though not as large one of the men in the room was. He had dark brown hair, nearly black coupled with dark eyes. His face was set in a frown, and looked as though he rarely smiled. The moment he looked at Moria and Rosetta, his nose scrunched as though he had just smelled dung and gave a look of distaste towards her. She blinked in confusion, remembering that other men had given her the same look. Granted she was used to looks like that…still…it was curious.

"Who's that?" Moria interrupted Rosetta mid-sentence. Rosetta gave a noncommittal shrug.

"That's Giacintro Muraro." She explained. "Really stoic. A lot of girls liked him in school."

"Apparently not for his smile." Moria grumbled as he sat down as far as he could, still glaring at her in the peripherals of his eyes. She had a feeling they wouldn't be getting along. It may have been her imagination, but something told her, it wouldn't matter. She returned her gaze to the front as an aged man walked slowly, in a crooked fashion, his back hunched over, walking in slow deliberate steps. He was trembling, but she knew it wasn't afraid…it was just old age.

"Ah, such new faces…such young faces." The man wheezed. The group shifted uncomfortably, though Moria stared. "You want to make a difference in the world. Protect the Wizarding World. You all think that being an auror is a glamorous profession, hm?"

Moria glanced around at the group of young adults and could see many of them were almost aglow with how proud they were and the truth behind those words. She held back a snort. It wasn't a glamorous profession other than the title. And it seemed the old man agreed with her.

"Such foolish faces there are." The old man wheezed. "Aurors do the work of the Ministry, and we are simply the dogs of the government. If ordered you will kill for them, you will kill for them. If ordered to die for them, you will die for them. You will do anything for this government as you would be deemed yourself worthy of protecting it." He continued to explain in a wheezing voice. Moria watched as the prospect dimmed in some of the eyes of the students.

"Look around you. Look to your left. Look to your right." He wheezed. "Half of you won't make it through the year of us teaching you." He explained. Oddly enough he seemed to glance at the women during this part of the speech. It was noted by several of the other women, as they shifted uncomfortably. "Half of the remaining class will likely be killed on missions…so be warned. No matter what you think you are or how good you are, you MUST stay on your toes."

"_In other words…constant vigilance."_ Moria thought dryly. She looked around, and saw that several of the faces of the students had paled and they looked sickly. Moria merely looked around, but she had already made her up her mind. She had no preconceptions of the occupation and she knew it was going to be difficult, but she had made up her mind.

And she wasn't going to back out now.

* * *

"Tii Momo?" She heard and turned, yawning sleepily, moving the textbook she was reading. Reading hadn't been something she expected, but if it had been different in England, she wouldn't know. Harry stood at the doorway, in one of his hands was the quilt that Lily had made him. She rubbed the bridge of her nose to rid herself of the sleep, before looking at him tiredly.

"What is it, Bud?" She asked, letting out a slight grunt as she stood, the aches and pains of the day catching up on her. She knelt in front of Harry, who looked embarrassed. "Did you have another bad dream?" She asked. He was silent for a few moments, before nodding. He looked embarrassed. She offered a smile before picking him up and walking over to her bed, settling on it.

"Do you want to hear a lullaby?" She asked. He shook his head. "Then how about a story about the Marauders?" Once again he shook his head, sniffling. It seemed that he didn't want to think of anything else…but he needed to sleep like she needed to study…how…

Slowly an idea formed in her head and she stretched over, grabbing the book. She then settled on her bed, Harry resting his cheek on her shoulder. "Say…why don't you help me read?"

"But you an adult." He replied suspiciously. She smiled.

"Yes, but even adults need help sometimes." She responded. "So? What do you say?"

"…okay…" he replied and looked down at the book as she opened it up. He looked at the big words and felt foolish for accepting this. He didn't know these words. At all.

"Tii Momo…"

"Come on…" She replied softly almost soothingly. He frowned and then looked at the words trying to concentrate on them as Moria slowly began to read.

"In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure…"

"Victowy?" Harry suggested and Moria smiled.

"That's right…Victory. Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth, unending as the flow of rivers and streams; like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more." She explained. Harry continued listening voicing a word every now and then, his body relaxing to the vibration of Moria's voice that made him forget about the green lights and the screaming. She continued reading to him for nearly an hour as he looked at each picture in the book.

"There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes (sour, acrid, salt, sweet, bitter), yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted. In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack-the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers…what an interesting analogy to saying that you could use direct and indirect attacks together. It would have been simpler if..." She trailed off when she looked down seeing that he had now fallen asleep. She smiled softly, brushing his hair back. He shifted slightly, but remained asleep. Slowly she placed the book down and picked him up. He remained asleep, his head resting on her shoulder, one tiny hand limply clutching his blanket, though Moria kept a good hold on it. She quietly entered Harry and Max's bedroom. As she suspected, Max had remained completely asleep through Harry crawling out of his bed.

Gently she placed Harry back on his bed, tucking him in with the patterned quilt. He remained asleep, only shifting slightly as she brushed his bangs out of his face and kissed his scar gently. Quietly she walked over to see Max had barely moved from the spot that she had crawled to earlier that night. She smiled and kissed her daughter's temple. Max curled slightly more, but remained steadfast asleep. Gently she tiptoed back to her room and laid down on the bed, opening the book to begin reading it again.

Vaguely she wondered if this is what Sirius had done when they had been training. She had been at Mungo's and whenever she had been home, had been exhausted. She had always heard him come home, but knew he never actually went to bed right after. She had been too tired to ask back then, but now she wondered. As she continued to read she slid her hand over the necklace charm, thumbing the dog print. She continued reading until she began having difficulty keeping her eyes open.

She put the book down on the nightstand next to her, before settling into the bed. She slowly fell asleep, and silence ensued in the home.

**SO MORIA STARTS AUROR TRAINING, AND SHE MEETS SOME PEOPLE THAT SHE'S GOING TO GET TO KNOW IN THIS ARC :)**


	3. GLASSES FOR HARRY

Moria grunted as she was shoved at the side.

"Watch it, Donna." One of the men in a thick Italian accent grumbled as he continued walking. Moria glared and rolled her eyes, resituating her bag and continued walking. Well she had learned one thing in the few months that she had started.

Women weren't welcome in the Ministry.

Well that wasn't exactly true, she mused as she continued to head over to where her class was. They were welcome in the Ministry, but in certain jobs, such as an auror, women were essentially treated as nothing more than common filth. Apparently she had chosen to join just around the same time as women were ALLOWED to even join. But it didn't make the prejudice any easier. As of then, five women of the original twenty had stayed for the past few months. In the next month or so they would be placed into squads. And while she doubted it would be any easier, she honestly didn't think that the glares she got could get any worse when she was stuck with some simpleminded fool who thought a woman couldn't do something equally good as a man could.

"Moria!" A voice cried out and she dodged the attempt to tackle. Rosetta let out a grunt as she face planted into the ground, before springing up, saluting Moria.

"Hello, Rosetta." Moria remarked with a yawn. Rosetta grinned.

"Didn't sleep well? Your fidanzato keep you up?"

Moria snorted. Yeah…right. The nonexistent boyfriend. The boyfriend who didn't give a damn that she was married, a mother of two, and scarred beyond belief.

"My daughter has a cold and wouldn't stop crying….so I had to stay up for a good majority of the night humming lullabies." She explained with another yawn. Rosetta made a sound in the back of her throat as though she understood. They both heard bare feet slapping against the stone and turned to see a young, short woman with brown skin and dark brown long hair walking over them. They also noticed several men turning their heads as the girl walked up to them.

"Rosetta! Moria!" The woman called out a bright smile on her face.

"Hello Florentia." Moria greeted as she walked up to them. Florentia gave them a cheery smile, pushing her hair back.

"Honestly, Flor!" Rosetta chastised. "What's your secret?! I flirt with men nonstop and they don't give me the time of the day. You, however, just walk past them and they all nearly break their necks to get a better look." Rosetta pouted and Moria rubbed her temple, the onset of a headache already starting. Florentia blushed heavily.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you HAVE a boyfriend, Rosetta?" Moria asked as she looked at the other girl.

"Do you know what I had to do to get his attention?" Rosetta asked. Moria rolled her eyes and the group continued. "Hey I was wondering…we have that test coming up…maybe we should do a study group. The men aren't going to help us at all." Rosetta remarked. "So…what do you say?"

Moria was silent for a minute. "I'm assuming that you're asking me this, because you want to come to my place." She questioned, though it was more a statement than anything.

"My apartment doesn't really fit a lot of people other than me." Florentia stated and Rosetta gave an apologetic shrug.

"My boyfriend is a potioneer who brings his work home…last night we sort of had a little accident and it will take a little while to get rid of all the sludge." Rosetta explained. Moria was silent, debating on whether or not she should actually accept. She knew the place was clean…it wasn't that part that worried her.

It was Harry.

She knew people still talked about what had happened nearly two years ago. She had heard Harry's name come up several times in conversations she had eavesdropped on. She didn't want those two to tell everyone…but if she said no that would probably earn more suspicion.

"…Fine…" She finally replied. "Just be prepared, I have two children under the age of five." She warned and the other girls smiled.

"I think we can handle them. I mean how bad could they be?"

* * *

"Hawwy, give back!"

"No!"

Rosetta watched as a little two year old struggled to grab what her older brother was currently holding; a faded worn sketchbook. The little boy was pushing her away as Moria turned.

"Harry James Potter. Maxine Bryn Black." She warned and the two separated, glaring at each other. "Harry, give Max her sketchbook."

"She has my yoyo!"

"Maxine, give Harry his yoyo." Moria added and the little girl pulled out the toy from her overall pocket. The pair handed each other what belonged to them, still glaring at each other as they went to their usual spots.

"Woah."

"Welcome to my life after school." Moria remarked as she set down a cup of tea for each one. Rosetta continued staring at Harry as he began to play with his yoyo.

"Harry Potter…as in…oh my god. He's The Boy who Lived!" Rosetta exclaimed in a whisper. Moria froze as Florentia began to stare at the boy as well.

"That's enough you two." Moria ordered quietly, though sternly.

"Holy hell, I never thought-"

"I said that's ENOUGH." Moria repeated and Rosetta looked at her. "There are REASONS why I don't invite people over a lot, Rosetta. And THAT is the main one. I like my privacy, as does Harry." She explained. "So if you would KINDLY not go around saying I met Harry Potter, it would be GREATLY appreciated."

She hadn't meant to snap like that, but her maternal worry overrode punctuality. Rosetta at first was stunned, but then smiled.

"I understand. Honest and it makes sense." Rosetta remarked. "He may not be as famous here as he is in the UK, but he's still famous." Rosetta continued. "I just never figured he was so…young…" She added. Moria stared at her and then gave a brief chuckle.

"He was only a baby when he earned his name, Rosetta." Moria teased. "Now then…onto studying."

* * *

"Mummy...Hawwy fall down, go boom!" Max declared, pointing to her big brother. Moria looked to where she was pointing and saw the little black haired boy shake his head and stand up. She cocked her head to the side as she watched Harry took a few tentative steps before regaining his confidence and then continued walking around.

"What odd behavior." She murmured before looking at the three year old. "Maxi, go tell Harry, supper's almost ready." she said, smiling. The little girl toddled out the door and over to her brother and Moria watched as the two ran back. However, Harry went to take a step too early and fell forward, knocking his little chin onto the porch. Moria gasped and put the tray down before running over to him. Not quite sure what had just happened, Harry's bottom lip began to tremble and he looked at his godmother with panicked tear-filled eyes. His whole body shook as Moria helped him up, and brushed his knees off, before she began to check his chin. Fortunately it would seemed that it would only bruise slightly and there was no need for medical attention.

"Be careful, Harry," she said kindly. "I don't like it when you get booboos." Harry nodded and walked into the kitchen from the door. Moria watched him. His steps were slightly wobbly, and when he made it to the kitchen, he ran face first into the table.

"Harry!" She exclaimed as he fell down onto his bottom. It was too much for the three year old and he just began to start bawling as Moria picked him up. He wrapped his tiny arms around her neck and began to sob into her shoulder as she tried to soothe him. Max watched anxiously and slowly Harry calmed down. But Moria remained frowning. There were too many coincidences all at once. Why…then it slowly began to dawn on her.

James had horrible vision. Horrible, horrible vision. Just because Harry had Lily's eye shape and color, didn't mean he was exempt from the paternal gene. Moria sat Harry down on the table and smiled.

"Let's play a game ok, Harry?" she said cheerfully. The little boy nodded, sniffing. Moria held up two fingers in front of his face. "How many fingers do you see?" she asked. The little boy squinted, something she had noticed before but hadn't really thought anything of until now. She frowned.

"Harry…can you see?"

"Yes!" He declared loudly, but looked panicked. Moria frowned and looked at him a bit more closely.

"Harry James Potter, don't you lie to me." Moria warned and he bit his lip, before shaking his head, resting it on his arms. "Why wouldn't you tell me?"

"'Cause Alfonso said that I'm a buwden."

Moria blinked. She had heard about Alfonso. A little boy that was at the daycare that Max and Harry went to…a nasty boy from the sounds of it. Whatever Alfonso had heard from his mother, who would gossip nonstop to the other mothers about Moria, whether how an unfit mother she seemed to be, or how strange it was for the fact that Moria worked…Alfonso would retaliate and tell both of them what his mother thought. Thankfully not EVERYONE thought the same way. There were some kindly mothers who, if by chance, caught Alfonso teasing them, would scold him, even at the risk of being yelled at the rotund woman, with dark beady eyes that Alfonso called his mother. But even then it didn't seem to dissuade him.

"Why would I care what Alfonso said?" Moria responded. "And since when did you believe him?" She asked. Harry roughly wiped his eyes and sniffled. She sighed and ruffled his hair. "Harry, I would never see you as a burden…even if you have glasses. I think I should have expected it actually…you know…considering your father could only see an inch ahead of him without his glasses."

"Really?"

Moria chuckled and brushed his bangs to the side. "Really." She replied. "Now then. I'll have to set an appointment up so we can get a professional opinion, not just an inkling from your godmother. And then it's glasses time." She remarked. He offered a nervous smile.

But it was a smile nonetheless.

* * *

"Do you like these?" asked Moria, showing a pair of oval shaped wire frames. Harry shook his head. Moria sighed. That was the last pair on the kids rack. "Sweetie, you have to have glasses. Which one is your favorite?"

"I look weird."

"You'll look like a kid with glasses, Harry." Moria reminded him. "That's not weird."

"But you and Maxi don't have gwasses."

"True…but just think of how smart you'll look."

"But I am smawt!" He replied indignantly and Moria sighed angrily. Finally she pulled a pair of bottle cap shaped glasses from the adult section, gold rimmed. They seemed to be a bit large, especially for Harry, but she was running out of ideas.

"How about these?" She asked. Harry looked at them, scrunching his eyes closed as she placed the glasses on his face. She held him up close to the mirror. He opened his eyes and cocked his head to the side.

"These are ok Aunie Mowia..." He sounded almost ashamed to admit that he liked them. Moria smiled and kissed his temple and he squirmed. She looked down at Max.

"What do you think sweetie?"

"He look like a Pwince." Max replied with a bright smile and Harry's face turned a brilliant red and he jammed his head into Moria's neck and she smiled, running her hand over his head.

"Alright then. Let's go get these."

* * *

"Fou eyes! Fou eyes!"

Harry stiffened as the jeers found him and Max down in the farthest corner of the playground. Alfonso and his mini-gang were following them.

"Don' lisen to twem Hawwy." Max whispered. "They jus jealus."

"Hey Fou Eyes!"

Max glared behind her shoulder as the three boys, no taller than Harry ran up to them. "Your Mummy will be mad." She warned.

"Stay out of this Cretina." Alfonso snarled and Max's face flushed.

"That's a bad word!" Harry argued.

"Well at least I don' have to wear dowky gwasses."

And finally, Max, it seemed, had had enough,

'_**SPLAT!'**_

Alfonso sputtered as mud fell from his face. Max was glaring at him, one of her hands covered in muck. She grabbed another handful of mud and chucked it, and continued repeating the toss. Alfonso made a bellowing sound and then shoved her, causing her to fall backwards. Harry yelled and tackled him.

"DON'T TOUCH MY SISTER!" Harry yelling as Alfonso's cronies tried to pull him off, only to be hit by mud projectile. Finally it seemed that the three boys decided that the duo weren't worth it and scampered back to the rest of the playground.

"Meanies." Max grumbled. "You otay?"

"Yeah…" Harry said, righting his glasses. "You didn't have to."

"We sibwings." She replied hotly. "So I do."

He looked at her and then smiled.

"I know what gwasses awe good for."

"What?" She asked as she wiped her muddy hand on her dress.

"Eye shields!" He chirped and she laughed.

* * *

There was a storm, Moria realized vaguely as she awoke to the distant sound of thunder. She blinked sleepily, opening her eyes partially. From the window, she could see tiny shadows of rain speckling her comforter. Then a bright flash of light followed by the loud booming echo of thunder. She heard a yelp.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

"Mummy!"

"Aunie Mowia!"

She turned over and met two pairs of eyes staring at her, glistening with tears.

"Can we stay hewe?"

"You two-"

"Pwease?" they asked together and Moria groaned.

"Fine." She said and the two clamored up into her bed, going to either side of her and effectively wedging her in the middle. This was growing to be repetitive. But she didn't have the heart to say no with them being so young.

"Can you wead us a stowy?" Harry asked. Moria looked at him and then at the book Max nudged at her.

"Where'd you two get this book?"

"The book shelf."

"…Are there more reasons that you two chose tonight of all nights to sleep here, other than the storm?" She asked. Both children looked at her innocently and for a brief moment she saw James and Sirius whenever they had gotten into trouble. She sighed and sat up a bit. She supposed she could read to them. She hadn't done so in a while. She flipped the book open and landed on the Tale of Three Brothers.

"Is this alright with you two?" She asked and they both nodded.

_"There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight."_

"Midnight." Harry corrected. Moria looked at him.

"Really?"

"Mhm. Daddy always say midnight." Harry explained. Moria stared at him and then offered a soft smile.

"You're right. My mistake." She said softly.

_"There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at midnight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure._

_And Death spoke to them._

_He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him."_

Max seemed to be confused. Cunning? Death wasn't cunning was it? It was smart…but just because it was smarter than man didn't make it cunning.

Death was absolute truth…something anyone would eventually have. It wasn't cunning. She tuned back to her mother.

_"So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother._

_Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead._

_And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility."_

Moria paused. How ironic…the one story that Harry remembered from James involved an artifact that described James's invisibility cloak. It couldn't be his, but it was still ironic. Vaguely she wondered where that old cloak was. She had searched for it when she had taken the items out of the Potter's residence in Godric's Hollow, but the search had been in vain. She sighed and looked back at the book, continuing to read.

_"Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death's gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination._

_The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible._

_That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden upon his bed. The thief took the wand and for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat._

_And so Death took the first brother for his own._

_Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him._

_Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her._

_And so Death took the second brother from his own._

_But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And the he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life."_

"Mummy…I don't think Death is a bad guy." Max said tiredly after the story was finished. Harry seemed barely conscious at this point, nearly asleep already.

"You don't."

"Well he was jus…jus doing his job, righ?"

"Technically yes…" Moria stated with a frown as Max yawned.

"So maybe he wasn' cunning…jus smawter than the two bwothers."

"And the final brother?"

"They were equals. Jus like the book said."

Moria looked at her daughter whose eyes seemed to be growing heavier. She offered a soft smile, kissing her daughter's brow, deciding not to push it.

"You're too smart, Sweetheart. Daddy would be proud." She murmured. The little girl shifted, unconsciously holding the locket Sirius had given her years ago. Moria smiled, pulling the blanket over both of them, before burrowing further into the covers. Finally, with the lull of the rain, mixed with light breathing and warmth, sleep took her into its hold.


	4. TEAMS

"So…what is the grouping for the trainees?" A man asked in a thick Italian accent. Several men, many covered with a varying degree of scarring, sat in a cigarette and cigar smoke filled room, creating a haze in the air. Older men looked up.

"I want a grouping with men. I do not have the time to deal with…" One man's nose scrunched up as though he had smelled something awful. "Women."

There was a murmur of agreement. However one seemed more intrigued, remaining silent as men bid on different. He looked a bit different than the rest of the men, who looked hardened from their years of being an auror. Though he looked cautious, he was nowhere near as cautious looking as the other men. His eyes were filled with intrigue about the possibility of having a woman in the forces. Lucio Nacar finished his drink with a slight smirk.

"Oye, Lucio!" One of the grizzled men said. "What are you smiling 'bout?"

"Nothing. Nothing." He remarked, putting out his cigarette before standing. "I must be off boys." He said, tipping his head. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

The men waved him off, before returning to smoking their cigars. Lucio chuckled before ambling out, inhaling the air outside, and walking down the street.

* * *

"Oye, Black!" An Italian filled accent called out and Moria turned to look. Inwardly she groaned. Great.

"Good morning, Lucio." She forced herself to say politely. She didn't know what to make of him. He offered a polite smile. "Is something the matter?"

The older man gave a slight grin. "Nothing Mrs. Black. I was just wondering how one of the few female trainees is doing."

"Just fine." Moria replied and gave the older man a look. He was one of the few higher-ups that hadn't looked at her in disdain. And it confused her. She had gotten used to the dark stares of disgust,

"Do you like it here?" He asked. She shrugged, glancing at several ministry officials that gave her a look as they passed by. Lucio clearly noticed. "Just because everyone else isn't aware of whom you're married to, doesn't mean everyone is like that." Lucio said. "And that it doesn't make you any less homesick."

"What do you mean?"

He merely smiled and patted her shoulder. Moria watched as he left and rolled her eyes. She didn't get him at all. It was one thing she never understood from any of his comments. He said them so…evasively. She was drawn out of her thoughts as she became aware of familiar voices. Two of them at least, arguing with other voices.

"-let us pass!"

"Women shouldn't be doing a man's job, Ragazza." A thick italian accent said. Moria growled. Why were all these men so unbearably chauvinistic!?

"Hey!" She called out as she turned down a corner, spotting Florentia and Rosetta being stopped by a small group of their classmates. All men. They turned and gave a look of disgust towards her, which she didn't much care about. "Back off!" She snarled, as she arrived by their side, standing in front of the two girls.

"Stay out of this."

"I will not! I said to back off!" She warned. The man advanced apparently under the belief that she couldn't do anything. Moira pulled at her wand and uttered a curse. Suddenly the man was attacked by winged bogies. She growled. "I said back-"

One of them slammed his fist into her face, with an Italian curse word, giving her a hint she had angered them.

"Hey!" Rosetta yelled. "That was uncalled for!"

Moria stumbled, gripping her face, looking stunned. Not by the pain…but by the fact he had punched her in an open place. She was used to being punched…but only either in a setting where it had been behind closed doors, or in an actual fight. The men chuckled.

"Poor little woman. Not used to-"

Another fist, much larger than hers slammed into the man's face, cutting him off midsentence as he stumbled backwards into his group and she looked up surprise as she saw another one of her classmates, Basilio Leoni, standing there in front of her.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hit women?" He asked gruffly. Moria looked stunned. As did Florentia and Rosetta. No one had ever defended them before. One of the men cursed and swung his fist towards the man that easily shadowed him. Basilio caught the fist easily, squeezing it and the man yelped.

"Go on about your business," he said.

"Listen Basilio-"

"What is going on here?"

The group looked over to see an instructor making his way over.

"Sir! Leoni attacked us! And so did Black!"

"Mrs. Black only fought back because you threatened her. I punched you because you hit a woman." Basilio snarled.

"Mrs. Black?" Said the instructor.

Moria turned to look at him, revealing her bruised cheek

That was all the proof he needed.

"I would like to speak to all of you." He said to the antagonizers "Privately." The three nodded. The men, glaring followed him. This left the three girls and Basilio there. Basilio offered a smile.

"Pleasure ladies."

"Why did you do that?" Moria asked as she wiped the small amount of blood from her chin. "Not that I'm unthankful or anything…" She muttered. This man easily shadowed her by a foot, and his shoulder muscles could nearly be the size of her head.

"Because it's the right thing to do." Basilio said with a smile. "I'll see you three in class." He added before walking away. Moria and the two other girls stared in surprise.

Unbeknownst to them, Lucio observed the situation and gave a smile towards the group. Yes…it seemed that those women would definitely offer a different perspective in their line of duty.

He glanced at Moria who seemed to have shrugged the whole incident away, wiping away the small trickle of blood off of her chin, gathering her bag and continuing down the hall with Rosetta and Florentia following her.

Very interesting indeed.

* * *

"So today's lesson, and final lesson before you will be assigned to groups is hand-to-hand combat." Their teacher said, earning some murmurs in surprise.

"But why, Sir?" One of the boys asked. "If we have our wands-"

"But what if you don't have your wand?" He asked. "Are you going to stand there like a sitting duck, waiting for help?"

More murmurs.

"Now then…I am going to need everyone to pair up. But to spice things up, I am asking you to pair with people I assign."

"Great." Moria grumbled. And so they were paired off. Rosetta thankfully was paired with Basilio, and Florentia had been paired with Nico Tosto. Though he had been nicer to her, he seemed awkward around her. She however had gotten one of the attackers earlier that day.

Great, just great.

"Black. Abandonato. You're first up."

Moria rolled her eyes as Elia Abandonato smirked at her and they walked to the center of the classroom. Moria removed her jacket, as she wouldn't be able to fight with it on. Then she turned to look at Elia.

"Hope you don't mind bruising, Black."

"Hope you don't mind blood." She retorted coolly.

"Alright, Black. The first lesson is to break out of a hold. You'll be the one held." The teacher said and the men in the group began to chuckle. Moria looked at Elia coolly as he came up and pulled her to him, her back pressing to his chest, tightening his grip on her wrists as he pulled her arms across her chest.

"So whatcha going to do, woman? Cry and scream?" He hissed into her ear. She smirked, choosing not to answer. The teacher made a swishing sound with his wand.

And she slammed her head backwards into his face.

He yelped and released her hands trying to cover his now bleeding nose as she pieroted on her foot and slammed her left leg out, slamming it into the side of his head, and watched in cool satisfaction as a tooth flew out of his jaw and bounced on the tiled floor. He cursed and stood up, his face bloodied, dashing towards. She side-stepped, slamming her foot into his chest, then as he fell backwards slammed the bottom of her foot into his chin. He fell to the ground in an ungraceful heap. She placed a hand on her hip as stunned silence as she stared at Elia with indifference.

"No…no…I think kicking your arse is what I'm going to do." She replied, walking back to the crowd.

"How…how did you…" Rosetta began to ask.

"It's called he didn't use half of his strength because he didn't think he needed to. And I know how to fight." Moria stated. "I would have had a tougher time if he actually took me seriously. Now he can pull himself and his broken jaw off the ground."

"Geez…remind me not to get on your bad side." Basilio commented and Moria smiled coyly.

* * *

Moria looked up and saw Florentia talking to Nico as they exited the class. She paused as she observed them arguing. While it wasn't that much of a surprise, what did surprise her was how upset Florentia looked so upset. She walked over.

"Is something the matter?" She asked. Nico jerked away and flushed, his face darkening.

"I have to go." He grumbled and stalked away. Moria looked at him quizzically and then at Florentia.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Uh-huh…" Moria said without actually believing her. "Come on."

"Where're we going?"

"For some coffee."

It seemed to be a whirlwind and they had made it to a small café, the pair sitting down in a table farther away. "So…what's the matter? Is that Nico bastard trying to force you out of the program?" She asked. It wasn't surprising. A lot of the girls had dropped out of the auror program under being bullied by the men left and right.

"No. No. He's not happy about it, but no."

"Well it isn't up to him what you want to do."

"He's my older brother."

That startled Moria and she looked up at the girl.

"You two are…twins?"

"Half-siblings. Same mother different fathers"

"Oh."

"I was born two months after him."

"….Excuse me, I think I heard you wrong. Did you say two months apart?" Moria asked in confusion. Florentia nodded. "You do realize, even if both your parents are Wizarding folk, that isn't possible right?"

"It is if your mother is well…different."

"How so?"

"She's a pureblood dryad."

"Dryad? Those creatures that come from trees?"

Florentia laughed. "Yes. The creatures that come from trees."

"I didn't know they existed in well…so many numbers."

"They don't. That's why Nico and I were created."

The look of confusion was apparently evident on Moria's face and Florentia sighed, pushing her hair back, and looked around to see that no muggles were near them. Gently she glided her hand through the condensation of her iced coffee, drawing a small figure.

"Dryads are a very rare breed, even rarer in countries other than Italy. It doesn't surprise me that someone from England doesn't really know about us. But…my mother's tribe…they needed heirs…seedlings. So a select few, my mother included, were sent out into the human world…away from Giardino di Eden into Italy to find suitable men to mate with. There was no love on their part, just a mission. My mother therefore first had to find suitable donors. Then…she created a look for each person. My father saw my mother as a tall woman with an hourglass figure. Nico's father saw her as a short woman with a sort of apple shape figure. Their ideal women. She then collected their half of the genes and stored them. They weren't the only two, and I'm quite sure I have more siblings elsewhere, but he's the only one I know of." Florentia stated. "Once she achieved enough…er…sperm…from certain men…." She trailed off flushing.

"She went through diapause so she could gain more?" Moria asked.

"How do you…"

"Let's just say I had no life from age 9 to 11." Moria remarked dryly. "I mostly read during that time. Interesting stuff about animals. Like did you know that dog nose prints are as unique as a finger print?"

Florentia stared.

"Never mind. Continue."

"Anyway…" Florentia stated with a smirk. "My mother left everyone that she had mated with and she well…merged with her life-tree, the item that it is said holds a dryad's spirit, and essentially merged our father's dna with her embryos, those themselves mixed with both her plat life, and her human female cells she had developed. She then waited. When each child was born, the boys were sent back to their fathers…and the girls stayed in the Garden."

"Dare I ask why she didn't keep the males?" Moria asked dryly. "Heaven forbid in this society of a male driven world, that the boys were sent home."

Florentia laughed. "Dryads are a matriarchal society. The pureblood male dryads are literally trees with stumps representing their-"

"I get it." Moria interrupted. "I don't need detail. So…why are you here? If my translation works... Giardino di Eden means Garden of Eden. Why leave the biblical paradise and come here?"

"I was ousted."

"Ousted?"

"I did not meet the standards that were expected of the half-bloods of my generation." Florentia remarked with a shrug. "So I was returned to my father. And I found my half-brother."

"Ah." Moria stated. "He doesn't want you to be an auror because he's worried about you."

Florentia flushed.

"Well…screw him."

The younger girl looked at her in surprise.

"As shocking as it may be to men, women aren't damsels in distress. And even though he's your older brother by two months, it's not his choice about whether or whether not you become an auror." Moria continued with a shrug.

"It's up to you though."

Florentia was silent observing Moria before giving a brief smile.

"Moria?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

"Never a problem."

* * *

Moria woke up to the sound of deafening silence. She blinked and looked at her window, and it was oddly a bright light came around the edges, as though the sun was reflecting on mirrors. She sat up in bed and moved the curtain slightly staring at the scene that lay before her, slowly she smiled, then crawled out of the bed and walked down the hall and opened the bedroom door of the children. Harry was just waking up, as well as Max, though she seemed to be a bit slower. Moria smiled as the two looked at her in confusion.

"Guess what Father Winter left you all."

The two children snapped right up to that and the three year old and two year old raced out, still clad in only their pajamas. Moria followed them down the stairs. They slid the porch doors opened and stared at the heavenly scene in front of them. Small icicles hung from the edge of the roof, glimmering in the bright morning light. The sky was a clear blue, patterned only with wisps of clouds that looked only like mist. The only thing that broke the never ending sky was the jagged formation of the alps that lay miles away, the tops of them snowcapped. On the ground lay a blanket of white snow, sparkling under the sunrays, splattered against the trees, both the ones bare of any leaves, and the evergreens that lay in the earth.

Harry stared at the ground and then laughed loudly.

"Wow!" He called out before jumping off the porch and landing face first into the snow. Never had he seen so much snow before. He curled up before bursting backward, lying on his back laughing insanely. He then continued to roll, leaving imprints of his small form as he laughed insanely. Max, being a bit more cautious, carefully walked into the snow, taking large steps before tripping and face-planting into the snow. She lifted herself up with her hands, shaking the snow off of her face. Moria watched in amusement.

"Incoming!" She yelled out before pushing herself off of the porch and landing belly first into the snow, taking Max and Harry down for the count. The two children curled up to her before she rolled over and the three burst out laughing.

They stayed out there playing in the snow before they felt frozen. She brought them in and wrapped the two children in blankets, placing a warming spell over them as she made hot chocolate.

"I've newer seen so much snow!"

"Neder had I!" Max chirped as she held her sippy-cup filled with the warmed hot chocolate. Moria laughed as she watched the two chat sipping their drinks. She looked over at the window, staring at the snow.

"Did you eber see so much snow Mummy?" Max asked. Moria looked back and smiled before nodding.

"When I was 15, there was a big snow storm at Hogwarts. Your fathers had the bright idea of a HUGE snowball fight between all the houses. No magic. Truthfully, I think they were just using it as an excuse for target practice, but it was still rather fun." She explained. The children both smiled brightly.

"We should do tat wen we go to Hogwats." Max murmured, snuggling up to her blanket.

"I bet they would find that amusing." Moria remarked sitting up with a grunt. "Now then. I was thinking of making some chicken soup. What do you two think?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

"Hawwy?"

"Yeah?"

"…do you thwink Mummy is sad?" Max ask as she patted the snow into a sphere, placing it on the slightly larger sphere that was already situated in the snow. Harry looked at her. "Because of Daddy?" She clarified.

"I dunno…maybe…" Harry remarked, looking at the window staring at Moria who was making the soup. "Well we'll just have to make sure she's happy. Right?"

"Wight." Max said.

"Kids! Soups ready!" Moria called out. Max looked at Harry and the two made a silent promise, before running to the house, their vow silently accepted between the two of them.

* * *

Moria stood up there, staring at the lists of the groups, looking for her name. She was jostled and pushed as classmates of her scrambled around, looking for their last name. Finally she found hers, as well as Rosetta's and Florentias. Under Lucio's own name. So he would be the leader of the team she was on.

"Moria!" A deep booming voice remarked, lifting her up easily. She yelped in surprise and looked down at Basilio, who was holding her by the waist, looking at her with playful eyes. "We are in the same grouping."

"So it appears." Moria wheezed from the bear-hug the man was giving her. "Do you mind if you let me down…please?" She asked. He chuckled.

"But of course. I need to talk with some of our classmates. I shall see you later." He said. She nodded, allowing him to let her go and watching as he walked away before turning back to the lists. She continued to look at the list. It seemed that Nico was in their group as well. Florentia would probably have issues with that…but maybe they could work it out. As well as Giacintro Muraro. She looked at the man that stood next to her, who was staring at the list as well.

"Well…it seems that we'll be teammates." She said lamely. Giacintro looked at her.

"I will be clear. I don't like you."

Moria looked at him.

"Women like you are nothing but naïve people who think they can rise above what they were given are nothing but filth." He said and Moria glared at him. "It'd be better if you just leave now."

"I hate to break it to you, but you'll have a better chance going against Voldemort than getting me out of this." She growled and watched him flinch.

"Do not say that name."

"Fear in the name is a weakness." She snapped. "I don't know why you and everyone think that women can't be auror's, and quite honestly, I don't care what you think of me, I am in this for the long run, so suck it up you chauvinistic prick. You're stuck with me."

He stared at her and then snorted as though she was filth.

"Well then, Mrs. Black. I hope that you survive the first year."

"I hope your testicles are ripped off." She snarled and turned on her heel, storming off, her rage fuming around her. Lucio stopped her.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Why don't you talk to your newest student?" She suggested, pulling on her jacket. "I need to go and pick up my kids."

"Alright?" Lucio said as she walked away and then looked at Giacintro.

Interesting indeed.

**SO WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? READ AND REVIEW PLEASE?**


	5. NAGA'S AND GIARDINO DELL'EDEN

Moria looked up from the seat she was sitting in and gave an eye roll as Giacintro walked into the room. They stared at each other as the other members of the group chatted amongst each other. She then huffed looking away, folding her arms over her chest. Giacintro walked to the other side of the room, farthest away from her. She scrunched up her nose and looked away, only to look back at the door when Lucio came through the door.

"Ah, so everyone's here. Good."

"Sir." They all greeted.

"I hope that everyone has greeted one another."

"Some more polite than others." Moria grumbled glaring at Giacintro, who didn't seem the least bit bothered by the stare.

"I am Lucio Nacar, and I will be your supervising officer for the remainder of your training period. Depending on how you six do, this could last a few months to a few years under my company. That is not to say that you won't go on individual missions, however for the time being, team missions is what we will currently be going through."

"Shouldn't the women remain on team missions?" Giacintro drawled. Basilio let out a slight huff and Nico looked at the other man annoyed. Lucio looked at the young man. "They'll need better protection than us."

"Considering that this is a learning experience, Muraro." Lucio stated. "All six of you are to be on team missions. Depending on how well you do individually, will determine when each and every one you will be able to go on solo missions."

"Well the women should-"

"We have names, you know." Moria drawled out, picking under her fingernail, giving a bored tone into her voice. "Contrary to popular belief, just because we decided to join a career that you only see as being a testicle and testosterone only job, we're just as qualified as you bunch are."

"You'll only slow us down."

"Gia!" Basilio snapped.

"How so?" Moria asked coolly.

"Because of what you are."

"You make us sound like animals at a zoo."

"You're diving too far into the meaning of my words." Giacintro snapped. Lucio seemed to observe the pair, a frown on his face. Giacintro seemed to be the major problem in this group. Even if Nico and Florentia were awkward towards one another, they could still work together. He, however, seemed completely against women in the force. That probably was because of his past with his family, but still... "That's the problem with women. They dive too far into a matter that shouldn't concern them." He snapped.

"And the problem with men is that they don't dive far enough." Moria replied. Lucio held back a chuckle at Giacintro's startled expression. It seemed that he had found one of the few people who could stand nose to nose with Muraro.

"Alright, alright. Enough you two." Lucio ordered with an easy smile. "Onto other important matters."

Moria continued to glare at Giacintro for several minutes before turning to look at Lucio.

If the room hadn't been chilly before, it was ice cold now.

* * *

"I still can't believe we're all in the same group!" Rosetta cheered as she and Florentia walked out after Moria, apparently ignoring the exchange of words between Moria and Giacintro. Moria mumbled something in reply, before yelping as Rosetta pulled her and Florentia to her.

"We're like two peas in a pod."

"There are three of us." Moria grumbled, rolling her eyes with a slight smile on her face.

"Details, details." Rosetta huffed.

"Florentia, can you babysit Harry and Max in a few days? I have to go…visit someone." She said, almost nervously. Florentia nodded.

"Sure thing."

"Who?" Rosetta asked. Moria shrugged.

"Someone I knew from London." She replied evasively. Rosetta stared at her then shrugged.

"Sure I don't mind." Florentia replied with a smile.

"Why can't I babysit?"

"Need I remind you what happened a few weeks ago when I left you alone with Harry and Max for ten minutes?"

"It was an accident. How was I supposed to know that Harry's uncontrollable magic would rear its head when I said boo? Besides it wasn't THAT bad."

"Harry turned the mailman into a frog, Rosetta." Moria replied with a raised eyebrow. "I had to obliviate the man after we caught him and turned him back. How is that not bad?" Moria remarked and Rosetta huffed.

"Hey, we caught him before he hopped off into a lake. Mission accomplished. And he always did look a little…"

"You finish that pun and I'm smacking you upside the head." Moria warned.

Rosetta huffed.

* * *

"You have to stop blaming them, Muraro."

Giacintro turned to see Lucio staring at him, his arms crossed as he leaned against the door jamb.

"Don't know what you mean."

"Not every woman's fate is going to be your mother's."

Giacintro froze, before shouldering his bag. Lucio sighed. "Carrying that burden by yourself is not going to do you any good. Taking it out on your teammates, is, likewise, not going to do any good. What happened to them was a tragedy, but the more you see the sacrifice through them, the more pain it's going to put on you."

"Enough Sir."

"What do you see in Mrs. Black that reminds you of your mother so much? " Lucio asked and Giacintro froze. He then shouldered his bag and stepped out. As he walked down the hall, he spotted the rest of his team chatting. He stared at Moria.

"_**Oh my little Gia, women must forge their own paths. We cannot abide to men forever my sweet."**_

"_And look where that idea got to you mother. Father was right…"_ Giacintro thought as he walked in the opposite direction, almost as though running from the image of a woman with dark hair and brown eyes lying on the ground…

Moria wasn't his mother…but it didn't matter.

A woman was a woman.

* * *

As she had asked Florentia, about a week or so later, the half-dryad was standing outside the home of Moria and the two children. "Sorry. Max isn't feeling too well right now, so she's in bed." Moria apologized as she pulled on her shoes, retying the ponytail as several shorter strands began to fall out. Her hair was now shoulder level, just reaching her shoulder blades. "Harry's in the living room. He said he wanted to play a board game with you, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't." Florentia said with a bright smile. "You go have fun."

Moria offered a slight smile, which was barely seen before she turned and left the room. Florentia turned around at the sound of Moria dispparting away and then clapped her hands as she entered the living room.

"Alright, so what are we playing?"

Harry held up the board game and Florentia smirked at the muggle game 'Trouble'.

"So who gave you that?"

"Madam Olga. It's a Christmas present she bought us." He explained as she sat down.

"Well that was nice of her."

"She couldn' find the original board game she was going to give us at her place. Me and Maxi will just find it later." He stated as he set up the game. As though he had summoned her, a raspy, chest throbbing cough sounded in the living room. She looked up to see Max at the foot of the stairs, rubbing her eyes. She, in all words, looked like a very sick little three year old girl. Her face seemed to have sunken a bit, dark bags under her eyes, a slight shade of green on her face, and she looked EXHAUSTED. Glancing at Harry, she observed a rather surprised look on his face.

"Gonna…get…some…water…" Max muttered tiredly, giving another cough.

"I'll go get it sweetie." Florentia said, beginning to stand up.

"No…it's otay…I'll get it." She muttered, padding tiredly to the kitchen. Florentia frowned.

"She didn't look like that before Auntie Moria left." Harry muttered as the spigot turned on and the sound of rushing water sounded. "If she did Auntie Moria wouldn't have gone."

Florentia opened her mouth to question Harry, but her question was muted by a crashing sound coming from the kitchen. She could have lit a fire under his butt, and she was sure Harry wouldn't have gotten up faster than he did with that sound, racing to the kitchen, followed swiftly by her. Max was in front of the counter, curled up on the ground.

"Maxi! Maxi!" Harry called out, shaking his adoptive sister's shoulder as Florentia kneeled in front of her. Did her stomach flu get possibly worse? She turned her over and that theory went through the window.

How many stomach flu's caused almost black webbing-like markings to crawl up the girl's face?

Harry's bloodless face turned paler.

"What's wrong with her?!"

"She's been cursed."

Harry's eyes became a round shape and he opened and closed his mouth several times. Florentia frowned, biting her lip.

"Did she touch anything in the past day or so, Harry?" Florentia asked, looking at the shell-shocked boy.

"No!" He exclaimed at first, then. "Wait…when we were out with Auntie Moria shopping, she touched a teapot in this thrift shop and she said it stung her. We all just thought that there was a chipped piece on it…" He said, growing slowly more and more horrified. She looked back at the little girl. Muggle hospitals couldn't do anything…and she didn't-

She froze and then stood, gathering up Max. "Come along Harry." She said.

"Where are we going?" He asked. She didn't answer. "Miss Florentia? He asked as she took several steps into the earth. "Miss Florentia?" He asked again.

"Hang on."

"To w-" Harry began to ask but watched in surprise as Florentia's body seemed to shift. It became darker, the skin cracking as though it looked like bark from a tree in the woods. The white part of her eyes slowly darkened to pitch black, her eyes beginning to glow. She let out an unearthly, at least in his opinion, hiss as her lips disappeared into a jagged crack, and her hair became green vines.

He yelped as several vines wrapped around his waist, hoisting him up.

"_Hang on…"_ The creature hissed and he barely managed to voice anything before the world seemed to blur as this version of Florentia raced into the trees at breakneck speed. He felt sick for a second before focusing on the small hand that was crawling up wooden Florentia's shoulder. He forced his hand through the wind and gripped Max's hand, just to reassure her he was there.

* * *

"Dumbledore." Moria greeted as she sat down at the small coffee shop that was situated in the Italian Ministry. "You surprised me with that letter."

"I assure you, it was not on purpose." The older wizard said with a smile. Moria offered a small one in return. "I heard that you have joined the auror program here."

"You heard correctly." She replied.

"I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that." He said.

"…you said something about Remus and Neville in the letter. Is he and Geoffrey alright? And what about Neville?" Moria asked, changing the subject.

"Straight to the point as ever."

"Call it habit." Moria replied with a grin, which slowly faded. "Well?"

"Remus is fine, Moria. However…he has run into a bit of a problem."

"And that is?"

"Several months ago, his great-aunt passed away…she had been caring for Geoffrey during the full moon time of the month."

Moria frowned in realization. "I'm assuming that neither you nor any of the Hogwarts staff can care for him during that time then?"

"Unfortunately, the Ministry is against it, and Mr. Lupin is well…"

"Being himself and saying that it's not worth the trouble, right?" Moria asked dryly.

"He is a very self-sacrificing man." Dumbledore admitted. "Which is why I came to ask you something."

"I can't move now…" Moria trailed off, flushing. It's not that she didn't miss England. She missed it desperately…but she had to stay here at least for a few more years with her job now. He smiled a twinkle in his eyes.

"Who said anything about you moving?"

* * *

The world seemed to change, the blurring trees turning darker, the hurried sounds of animals disappearing replaced by the slight whimpers that Max emitted, Harry observed. They were deep in the forest, he figured. He gripped Max's hand to which she barely returned the hold. Finally Florentia stopped. He became aware of hissing.

"Intruders…Intruders!"

"It is I!" Florentia hissed out. "Florentia! Daughter of Glicina!"

"Florentia?" Voices echoed from around the them, hidden amongst the trees. Harry pressed himself against Florentia. "You were ousted years ago! How dare you darken the Garden's doorstep."

"I need your help!"

"Go away Florentia, we-"

"Enough my sisters. I wish to hear what my daughter has to say." A voice called out. The other half-dryads froze and then bowed, moving away. A creaking sound entered Harry's ears and Florentia stiffened. A woman seemed to grow out of tree, a crown of branches and thorns adorned on her head. Her hair was long and similar to Florentia's, vines that flowed down onto the ground. The only major difference was that the figure that stood in front of them didn't have defining feet. Instead from her waist down, it reminded Harry of a tree trunk that was gliding effortlessly through the dirt.

"Return to your human form, daughter." The creature before him told Florentia. Almost hesitantly, she obliged, letting Harry down as she transformed back into her human self. "Now…what is it that warranted this visit?"

"I need your help. SHE needs your help." Florentia implored, holding Max up. Harry gasped at how far the curse had gotten. She looked like that doll they had found at Madam Olga's place, one side of the face was spiderwebbed with the blackness. Her face was contorted in pain.

Florentia settled the pair on the ground and Harry went over to Max, holding her protectively. "Hawwy…" Max said tiredly, her voice hoarse with pain, but trying to hide it, maybe for his benefit.

"I'm here." He said watching Florentia.

"She is not of our concern."

"She is only a child. I didn't have any other place to turn."

"You have your father's people."

"Muggles can't do anything, Mother!" Florentia implored. "Please."

The creature in front of her was silent, observing the little girl. Harry held Max tightly, but it seemed to do very little. Within a few moments of tense silence, vines slowly wrapped around Max and lifted her away from Harry.

"Hey-"

"Harry." Florentia commanded and the little boy was silent, watching as Max was brought up front and center. The woman lifted a glowing finger and glided the finger over the outline of Max. The little girl emitted a tiny sound, that sounded reminiscent of what Harry had heard every so often during naptime or at night. She was calling out for her Dad.

"A very strong curse embedded in this child." Glicina commented and Harry tried to swallow the lump in his throat. Glicina pulled out a clear crystal, which glimmered in the dim lighting around them. Gently she tapped the crystal against Max's forehead, uttering words and sounds that Harry couldn't understand.

Then the pained expression Max's face lessened and he watched as the crystal dulled and darkened. The webbing also seemed to vanish, almost as though it was being sucked into the crystal. By the time the darkened cracks had disappeared, the once clear crystal was dark and opaque, almost as though the night sky on a cloudy day had been captured in the crystal.

The color to Max's face had returned, her expression was less pained. He saw that her breathing had quieted as she was returned to them. She looked like she was sleeping now, only the faint hint of a fever, when he checked her forehead with his.

"It'd be best to watch her."

"I know, I know." Florentia hissed out, her voice sounding as though the trees were amplifying it. "I won't bother you again. I'll take her to someone else."

"Oh no, dear daughter, I was meaning the ability she has."

"Ability?" Florentia whispered in confusion. "Well she's a witch, but-"

"You will see…I sense great things from both the boy and the girl. However at present, their memories of this little adventure may be detrimental."

"I…suppose. Wait, what are you doing?!" She asked as she saw a dryad appear behind Harry and press a stone to the back of his head. A dazed expression slid over his face as the stone began shining.

"Relieving him of this memory." Her mother commented. She looked about ready to object but the look her mother had given her, changed her mind. She nodded as she picked up the children.

"You can never return here, you understand that my daughter?" Glicina asked. Florentia froze for a millisecond, and nodded, her back turned. Then as quickly as she had appeared, she jumped back into the tree-line hopping to every other tree.

* * *

Spells were flying, men were screaming curses, both magical and non-magical in languages Moria didn't understand. Weeks had passed since Dumbledore had come to visit.

"Wish we could go over there."

"Lucio wants us to observe and learn. We'll be down there eventually." Nico commented. "Besides we aren't the only team here." He added motioning towards where another group stood, in a different corner.

"We also have to make sure none of those we're fighting against get out of the perimeter. Once they take a step out, if there can, apparition would be a snap. Well actually a pop. All we need is a crackle and-OW!" Rosetta yelped as Moria smacked her upside the head.

"Honestly, your puns are the worst." Moria commented as she kept her eye on the warehouse. "It's rather interesting."

"What is? The fact that the idiots are seriously trying to flee the other aurors because they were caught pissing in an unauthorized zone?" Rosetta asked.

"Or the fact that you decided to bring a shovel along?" Giacintro asked, earning a glare from Moria.

"The shovel, for your information, I picked up so we wouldn't be spotted." Moria reminded. "And I sincerely doubt they're running because they took the piss somewhere. They're hiding something."

"For once, I agree with you." Giacintro said, but apparently needed to add some sort of criticism to his compliment. "But seriously, a shovel. Of all the things you could pick up, you pick up a muggle shovel." He growled out, though Moria didn't seem to be listening, instead was staring at the edge of a building. She slowly advanced to it, picking up the shovel.

"What good would a shovel do in the magical-" He began to complain, but stopped as she swung the shovel up, slamming the broad surface against the man's face, wrenching him off his feet and slamming him into the ground, all with a resonant ringing sound echoing around. She sunk the blade in the dirt, next to the now concussed smuggler.

"That." She said as Rosetta snorted loudly.

"He's the farthest one to have escaped, I will admit." Basilio said as he walked over and yanked the man up, tying his arms behind his back. "Young too. Can't be more than a teenager."

"Aw, the youth of today." Florentia commented.

"I wan' to file a complain'!" The young man roared, blood streaming from his broken nose, causing his words to sound disjointed. "She atta'd me!"

"I 'attacked' you because you were trying to escape the perimeter." Moria said sweetly. "Besides, don't worry, you'll have plenty of company. Your mates will be joining you."

"Giucciano will have…oh about five…maybe ten of you. Depending on the charges that is."

"You actually do trials?"

"Of course." Rosetta asked, cocking her head to the side. "Why? Does England not do that?"

"They do, it's just…" Moria trailed off, before shaking her head. "Never mind. Forget I asked."

The look on the rest of her team's faces, clearly said that it was something big, but a shower of red sparks called each of the groups to where their team leader was. Lucio was observing several large cages, many of which, the gate part had been pried open, the lock mechanism destroyed.

"We have a problem." Lucio said.

"I'll say, this must have been some party." Rosetta commented at the amount of destroyed areas. "Any casualties."

"Only on their side, but that's not the problem."

"Then what is?"

"They were smuggling nagas."

"Nagas?" Moria asked, her eyebrows furrowing to the one time she took Care of Magical Creatures."

"Creatures from India. They were going to smuggle them to Egypt, which would then be distributed throughout the Middle East and African continent. Illegally of course. We managed to get them before they got to their buyer."

"Okay…so the problem is?" Nico asked.

"The problem is, is that do you SEE any nagas?" Lucio asked. Moria's frown deepened.

"They escaped."

"Yes."

"Any direction where they were headed?"

"Probably towards the mountains so they can try heading back to India." Lucio commented and then sighed. "I highly suggest you go home and get some rest. You'll be needing it. The next few days…we'll be naga hunting."

"Yes sir."

* * *

It had been a few weeks since then, and the Italian Ministry had managed to keep quiet about the nagas, oblivating any muggle that had seen nagas. Not even other Ministries, other than the Indian Ministry were aware of the danger. But that wasn't what worried the Italian Ministry. Apparently, from what the Indian government informed them, these nagas were of a more…violent…background. The villages that they had dwelled around had feared the night, nervous and frightful that a naga would come in and steal a child. They apparently had an appetite for human flesh, namely children.

It was late one night and two people were walking down the single road in Rhêmes-Notre-Dame. And the little blond haired, five year child that was holding the older man's scarred hand was slowly getting on his nerves. Remus glanced down at the little boy. It was only a few days since the full moon, so while he didn't necessarily BLAME Geoffrey for his slowly growing annoyance, the five year old wasn't making it any easier.

"Why not just ask for directions?"

"Because I don't speak Italian, Geoffrey." Remus argued.

"I'm pretty sure there's a spell for that, Dad. But I'm guessing you didn't use it." Geoffrey countered.

"Geoff, stop."

"But-"

"GEOFFREY." Remus snapped and the little boy promptly shut up, though he looked hurt by Remus snapping at him. He stuck out his bottom lip and wiggled his hand out of Remus's grip, crossing his tiny arms. Guilt flooded into Remus pretty quickly after as silence ensued. He finally spotted a house and glanced at Geoffrey, who seemed to be content at staring at the ground. Remus turned and made Geoffrey stop just a few feet away from the door.

"Stay right here. Understand?" He ordered. Geoffrey was silent. "Geoffrey Benjamin Lupin. Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir." The little boy replied with little emotion. Remus sighed, before walking to the door and knocking. A few moments later he heard footsteps and a middle-aged man, whose stomach was nearly a circle, his face covered in heavy wrinkles answered. He began to speak in rapid Italian.

"Lo non parlo italiano." Remus said quickly, one of the only phrase that he actually knew. The man gave a jovial laugh.

"My apologies." The man said in English with a thick Italian accent. "I should have realized. May I ask what you be needing?"

"Directions." Remus said, trying to make it as simple as possible as he held up a piece of parchment that had the said address.

"Ah, sì sì." The man agreed nodding. "It's a bit of a walk though. But all you have to do is continue walking down the path and it will be the third house on the left. There is a mother who lives there with her two children." He said. Remus frowned. A mother? What mother with two kids did he possibly know that would warrant him coming here specifically by Dumbledore?

"Grazie tanto."

"Prego." The man said and closed the door. Remus turned around, and to his frustration, Geoffrey was no longer there.

"I swear to Merlin, it's like James decided to possess that boy and make him do things to rip my hair out." Remus grumbled. "Geoffrey! Geoffrey come on, it's getting late! And we have a long walk…or apparition…to do!"

Nothing answered him.

"For the love of…Geoffrey Benjamin Lupin! Get your little behind out here right this minute! I'm not in the mood for ga-"

"_**DDDDAAAADDDDDD!"**_

Time seemed to slow down right then at the high-pitched, panicked scream and every amount of frustration that had been there moments vanished in an instant as he raced towards where his son's voice had come from. He slid around a corner and saw Geoffrey pressed against a tree, a side of his face red from blood that was sliding down his face. In front of him was an eight foot…what he could describe as a hybrid of a snake with human arms. A naga, he realized. From the waist down was nothing but a coiling snake's body, covered in glistening green scales. The waist up was the body of a male, but the head was grotesquely shaped into a hybrid of a human and snake, horns growing out of the jaw. Clawed hands rose, trying to make another swipe for the boy.

"Protego!"

The naga hissed in anger and looked at what had stopped him from taking his meal.

"Get the bloody hell away from my son!" Remus yelled out, throwing another spell which forced the creature away. He ran to Geoffrey grabbing hold of his arm, and wrenching the stunned boy to his feet.

"Run! Now!" He ordered, trying to keep one eye on where the naga had gone, and another on his son, who seemed to be having issues getting his feet to work. "Geoffrey! Move!"

"BEHIND-"

He felt it before he heard or saw it. Burning pain in his back and shoulder. He turned again slamming the naga with a throwing spell, but stumbled, pain numbing his mind for several seconds. He turned, pointing his wand, but the male naga slammed him into the tree. If he wasn't still sore from the transformation two nights ago, he was now. He could hear Geoffrey yelling as the naga began to slam Remus over and over again into the tree, hissing and spitting like a cobra. It jammed his claw into Remus's midsection then went to bite his neck.

His vision, at the point had grown blurry, but he was just conscious enough to see the naga be thrown away by a spell, feel himself hit the ground painfully in a crumpled heap. He could hear a feminine voice yelling and the last thing he saw in his vision was Geoffrey crying and a young woman he was quite sure was dead.

Then his world went black.

**TADA. A LOT IN THIS CHAPTER. AND MAX MEETING THE DRYADS DOES HAVE A PURPOSE LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD, YOU'LL SEE :). JUST TO BE CLEAR, I DON'T SEE REMUS AS WEAK. AT ALL. HOWEVER WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE FEW YEARS MUST HAVE BEEN HARD FOR REMUS WHO HAD GROWN USED TO COMPANY OF SIRIUS, JAMES, AND PETER. SO IT MUST HAVE BEEN HARD FOR HIM, AND IT MUST HAVE WEAKENED HIM DURING THE FULL MOON.**


	6. FRIENDS

He felt as though he had gone through his first transformation all over again. He was achy, weak, and the bed he was lying in felt like heaven. But he didn't know WHY he felt like that. The full moon had happened days ago…he shouldn't feel like it was the morning after the transformation. Slowly he opened his eyes and looked around. He was in a bedroom…well an attic that had been turned into a bedroom. He was staring at the rafters.

How did he get here? Did Geoffrey manage to-

Then the memories came flooding back. The naga. Pain…blood. A visit from a friend that had to be dead. Geoffrey screaming.

Geoffrey.

"Geoff-" He started, sitting up quickly. He immediately regretted it as pain spasmed through his back, chest, and midsection. He groaned, gripping his stomach.

"And here I thought you were the brilliant one out of the four Marauders." A voice called out. He looked up to see a ghost. It had to be a ghost. But there were differences since he had seen her last. Her hair was shorter for one, and she looked like she hadn't slept in days.

"Moria?"

"Going against a grown naga. Are you insane?" the witch asked, apparently not noticing the stunned look on the werewolf's face. "You're lucky the snake wasn't poisonous or the fact I enjoy to walk when I get off of work, or that I visit town on Wednesdays-"

"You're alive?" He whispered.

"What type of question is that?" She asked, sarcasm laced in her voice. "Now, what happened?"

"I know what happened." He snapped. "What are you doing in Italy?"

"…Did Dumbledore not say a single thing to you? He really just dropped you off without telling you?" Moria asked. Remus nodded silently.

"…You REALLY need to work on asking."

"You still haven't answered my question." Remus stated.

"I live here, idiot." Moria remarked. "I have since 1981."

Remus was silent and then looked at her.

"Come again?"

"Alright, I know the naga kicked your arse, but I don't think he made you deaf." Moria remarked with a smirk which slowly melted away. "I moved here after October."

"What happened to you?" He asked. "They said that S…that Black killed you when he killed Peter."

"What? Can't say Sirius's name, Remus? Come on, he was one of your best friends!" Moria exclaimed. He glanced at her left hand.

"You're still wearing the ring."

"I'm still married to him." She replied, easily. "And I have no plans of divorcing him."

"Moria! I can't believe, after what he's done…you would still-"

"After he's done what?" Moria interrupted, her face hardening.

"You know very well what he did," Remus said darkly.

"No, Remus, I don't," she told him. "Sirius wasn't the secret-keeper. At least not to my knowledge. He would have told me he was, regardless if I had told him not to, you know that. So unless I passed charms by some forsaken miracle, he couldn't have been the secret-keeper and have betrayed Lily and James. And it was Peter who blew up that street."

"Oh come on Moria!"

"You want to know why you thought I was dead? It's because I apparated around, trying to find Sirius after James and Lily were killed. The last apparition I did was to that street. Sirius tried to get me to run…but Peter threw some type of explosion spell. I don't know why…maybe he thought the same thing as you did and was trying to kill Sirius. But it was Peter who killed those twelve muggles." she explained.

Remus stared at her, trying to register this information. "So, let me get this straight. Sirius wasn't the secret keeper."

"That would be correct." Moria confirmed. "You know him. He would have told me if he was…despite his ability to hide the truth towards everyone else…he was pretty lousy around me."

"Then who was it?"

"I don't know…" she stated in frustration. "I asked them not to tell me – I didn't want to take any risks for Lily and James, and you know how much danger I got myself in. The only thing I'm sure about is that someone wanted him out of the way, so he was framed for blowing that entire street, and for killing Peter."

"You can't possibly be telling me that Sirius has been in Azkaban for something he didn't do," Remus murmured, a grim and horrified look crossing his face. Moria nodded, looking down. "Oh, dear Merlin…" he finally whispered. Why did he let himself be swayed so easily by the public? "I can't believe this," he told her. "I couldn't believe he had done it in the beginning, but I ended up just accepting it. Did you ever…?"

She shook her head. "No…" Moria told him. "But don't torture yourself for accepting that he might have done it. The Ministry did publicize his arrest a lot, according to Dumbledore."

"But he was my friend, Moria," Remus said. "He was one of Geoffrey's adoptive uncles. I trusted him enough around my son, then why didn't I-"

The declaration about his son brought the present back to him. "Geoffrey…where is he?! Did that naga-"

"Relax, relax." Moria commented with a soft smile. "He's to your left."

Remus looked down and the tension slid away. Geoffrey was curled up to his side, sleeping contently, curled up. The only evidence of the damage that the Naga had done, were several bandages on his face.

"Sorry. I didn't realize that I was so few on healing potions." Moria apologized. "And Geoffrey was insistent on me using them on you." She explained. He gently brushed his son's hair aside and Geoffrey mumbled something incomprehensibly, shifting in his sleep to stretch. Moria smiled as Geoffrey began to wake up. "I'll leave you two alone. I'll bring up breakfast later."

And with that she went downstairs. There was silence as Geoffrey slowly woke up, the little boy rubbing his eyes as he sat up, blinking in the dim morning light. Then he noticed his father sitting up, giving a slight smile.

"Good morning."

The next moment, right after that greeting Geoffrey had tackled him, Remus was barely able to muffle the yelp as pain spasmed through him. Geoffrey was crying now, trying to desperately stop his tears, but to no avail.

"I bad! I bad!"

"Now why on earth do you think you're bad?"

"Because I didn't follow your orders!" The little boy wailed. "You got hurt because of me!"

"Geoffrey-"

"I sorry. I sorry!"

"Pup, look at me."

Geoffrey did so, sniffling. His eyes were glassy, his cheeks stained with tears. Remus smiled, pressing a kiss to the boy's forehead. "You're alright. That's all I can ask for. I am a bit disappointed with you for leaving the spot I told you to stay in." He remarked and Geoffrey looked away, his eyes downcast. "But, I'm glad you're safe." He added and Geoffrey looked up at him. "I think you've had enough of a punishment right now."

Geoffrey offered a weak laugh.

"So did you meet Moria?"

"Mhm. Harry and Max too."

Remus blinked. Harry...Max…

They had all survived. Remus sighed in relief, falling back onto the bed. Geoffrey blinked as Remus laughed.

"They're alive." He whispered. "Oh sweet Merlin, they're alive."

"Who?"

"Just a few people I didn't think I would ever meet again."

"Oh…I'm hungry."

Remus laughed and sat up again, grunting as he forced himself to stand. Geoffrey slid off of the bed and followed his father down.

* * *

"Pancakes."

"Waffles."

"Pancakes."

"Waffles."

"Pancakes."

"Waffles."

"PANCAKES!"

"WAFF-"

"Oh for the love of Merlin!" Moria spat. "It's neither! It's French toast, suck it up!"

"Ah, how I missed the pancake, waffle argument at breakfast." Remus stated as he went down the stairs. "Their fathers did the same thing. Granted it was switched where Sirius vouched for pancakes and James vouched for waffles." He said. Harry and Max turned to look at the newcomer and Remus was startled at how many similarities he could see from their fathers in them.

Harry looked exactly like James, barring the eyes, which were completely Lily's. He was even wearing the same style of glasses James wore. Max, despite having Moria's face shape was, like Harry, all her father. She'd probably end up being what Sirius would have looked like had the gender been switched.

"Hey." Moria called out in surprise, grinning slightly. "You didn't have to come down here. I was more than happy bringing something up."

"No it's alright. Wanted to move around anyways." Remus stated as Geoffrey looked up at the table. Max and Harry smiled brightly; scooting on the bench they were on to make room. Geoffrey slid in, glancing at the two and three year old.

"Ello!" Max and Harry chirped and the little boy flushed brightly. The three then began to chat idly as the two adults watched.

"So…how have you been?" Remus asked. Moria shrugged.

"Busy." She replied with a smile. "Being a single mother and becoming an auror tends to take up a lot of my time."

"An auror?" Remus asked. She nodded. "What made you decide to be an auror? I mean, it's your choice...but you were a healer before."

"Reasons…" She said evasively.

"Sirius reasons?" Remus asked. Moria was silent for a few moments.

"Partially yes." She murmured. "But the other is just me wanting to better this world. It's my choice."

"Alright. Alright." Remus stated and grinned at his son who Harry was conversing with. Max seemed content in eating her French toast, making a large mess with the syrup down the front of her overalls. "You're an excellent Mum. The two look incredibly happy."

"Given the circumstances?" She asked.

"Given the circumstances." He agreed. "I'm surprised Dumbledore let you take Harry."

"He almost didn't." Moria remarked with a slight laugh. "Remember Lily's older sister?"

"I think so…horse faced woman…at least that's what James and Sirius nicknamed her." Remus remarked, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. "But what does she have to do with…no…her?" He asked and Moria nodded. "But Petunia hated Lily."

"Yes. Dumbledore was hoping she'd get over the petty jealousy and actually take care of her nephew. Instead, the woman decided to toss Harry into the broom cupboard under the stairs and try to sweep under the rug she even had a nephew." She grumbled. Remus looked at her stunned, as though waiting for her to start laughing and say 'just kidding'.

"She…what? But he was only one!"

"Yes. Your point? Petunia never made it her business to actually be kind and thoughtful." Moria growled. "If I can keep them away from Harry; that would be fine by me."

"Well I think you'll be doing a fine job."

Moria grinned in thanks. "You're doing a great job with Geoffrey. Most polite five year old I've met."

"That's his mother's genes."

"The debate of nature versus nurture strikes." Moria teased and Remus laughed.

* * *

It was later that night, Remus and Moria were still chatting with what happened in the past few years, how Moria had survived, where she had wound up, etc.

"If I had known you were still alive, I would have come to find you." Remus remarked.

"I know." Moria replied, only looking up when she heard the top stair creek. There stood Harry, rubbing his eye. His hair was messier than normal, and his eyes were slightly glassy.

"I had a bad dream…" he mumbled to them in a pitiful voice that sounded ridiculously small to Remus. Moria sighed gently then walked over to Harry picking up the three year old before going to the sofa.

"It's okay…the bad man won't get you…I promise." She reassured and saw Remus's eyes widen slightly and him mouth 'Voldemort?' She nodded but gave him a look that she would explain later. "Do you want to hear a story?"

"Mhm…about Padfoot, Prongs, Moony, and Wormtail…but no repeats like last time!" the five year old said and Remus literally saw alarm bells going off in her head. He had to force himself not to laugh. Sirius might have told her some of their adventures in Hogwarts, but obviously not all of them. He then sat down next to the pair. Harry blinked and Moria looked at him in confusion.

"Okay, which stories did she tell you? And I'll find one that she didn't even know about."

* * *

Moria gently tucked Harry back into his bed, kissing his forehead as he gripped the small worn out deer stuffed animal he had. He stirred slightly in his sleep, but didn't awaken. Moria smiled and combed the strands of hair on his forehead. She then resituated, and retucked Max before leaving the room.

"So…Harry's nightmares?"

"They don't happen on a regular basis as they did when we first came here." Moria commented sitting back down on the couch. "I think his memory is starting to forget, which is good…"

"How bad were they? The nightmares?"

"He was seeing Voldemort kill Lily."

"Oh Merlin."

"He's gotten better. I think his mind is forcing the memories away, or it could be that he's just growing up and losing those memories…I hope it's the latter." She said sipping her tea.

"So…I better get going." He said and she looked at him.

"You don't have to. I mean, I have the extra room upstairs."

"Moria...I don't know…"

"Remus, no offense but it might be helpful if Harry actually has some male influence." She stated and he looked at her. "Okay, he's stuck with Max, Chelsea, and me. A dose of testosterone is probably not a bad thing."

"Wait. Chelsea?"

"She comes and babysits a lot. Besides…" she said with a small smile on her face. "It doesn't hurt to have a friend here. Chelsea's okay, but I've been friends with you longer than with her. And you won't be alone either. And you would have someone to look after Geoffrey during your…furry problems"

He was silent…weighing his options. It wouldn't be easy…adjusting from being by himself and Geoffrey, to living with four people, essentially five, if he remembered Chelsea from when they were younger she most likely would have the habit of dropping in without warning. And he would have to figure out what he was going to have to do when that time of the month came. But…

"…I'll think about it." He said and saw her smile, almost in relief. She then went over and hugged him.

"Remus…it's good to see you." She said softly and he blinked almost stunned. He then returned the hug gently.

"Same here…same here…"

And for the first time in the longest time, he felt a piece of his heart that had been shattered begin to heal.

"Hey Remus?"

"Hm?"

"Tell me the truth, were you four the actual ones who changed the colors in the Slytherin Common room to Gryffindor colors, like you told Harry?" she asked and he grinned.

"Among other things." He replied and she laughed. The rest of the night was spent talking about the past, and what had happened since that fateful night in 1981.

But mostly…it was a talk among friends.

Among family.


	7. THE BUGUL NOZ

"Harry."

The little boy curled up into his blankets and he vaguely heard chuckles.

"He is EXACTLY like his father."

"I more see it as a mix. Getting Lily out of bed was like fighting a dragon most of the time." He heard his aunt say.

"Harry…" The voice called out again and he grudgingly woke up, blinking dazedly. He shifted, and looked at the two occupants blearily.

"Wha time izzt?" He murmured.

"Around nine, sleepy head."

He groaned and burrowed deeper into his covers. Moria sighed and then smirked.

"Okay then, have it your way. I guess Remus, Geoffrey, Max, and I will just have to have your birthday breakfast and open your presents ourselves. It's not every day that someone becomes five you know.

He was out of his bed in a flash, already dashing out the door. Moria looked at Remus with a smirk.

"Told you."

Remus chuckled as the adults went down the stairs and observed Harry talking to Max who was still dressed in her pajamas. Geoffrey was as well.

"The next generation of Marauders." Remus grumbled. "Merlin, they are going to be making us pull out our hair when they get older."

"Don't remind me." Moria grumbled with a smile.

"How do you think he's going to react when he finds out you got him his second broom?"

"Considering he's been drooling over and begging for one for the past six months?" Moria asked. "I'm expecting he'll all but pee himself."

* * *

"Can we fly now?!" Harry asked excitedly. Moria smiled, not surprised by this question that had been repeated over and over again since he had opened his presents.

"Alright, alright." She said. "But it's not going to be high up."

"Woohoo!" The younger boy yelled and raced out.

"Boys." Max grumbled simply, earning a slight chuckle from Remus. Within a few minutes, Harry, Moria, and Geoffrey were there. Max had opted not to go, and Remus had stated he would watch over Max. Moria gave him a look, that clearly stated she hadn't believed him. Geoffrey wrapped his arms around Moria's waist.

"We're not going to go too high, alright Harry."

"But…" Harry complained. Moria laughed, ruffling his hair.

"Let me show you first." She said. Geoffrey looked at her, very confused.

"Wait, wha-"

Moria kicked off the ground and shot upwards, rising twenty feet in about two seconds. Her whole body seemed to lighten in a way Harry rarely saw, as if she'd left the weight of the world back on the ground. She wheeled round and soared off around the edge of the backyard, turning into a blur, circling a bare flagpole at the other end and shooting back to land gracefully in front of her gaping godson. Geoffrey was gripping her tightly, his hair windblown.

"Sorry, Geoffrey." She said earning a slight response from Geoffrey, who slid off of the broom. "You should probably start smaller," Moria told him, grinning sheepishly. "How about pushing off and hovering a few feet off the ground, and then coming back down. Remember, you only need to lean forward a little bit to come down, otherwise you'll be nose diving straight into the ground."

Harry nodded, mouth slightly dry, and braced himself for flight. But then a whole new fear stuck him. What if he _couldn't _get off the ground? What if he pushed off and fell straight back to earth in a pathetic, gravity-bound heap?

And it was with that thought that he kicked hard against the ground – and did not come back down. In fact, he went rather higher than he'd meant to. And was still rising. Before he knew it he was level with the top of the top of the tree, the ground falling away. He began to panic, however he caught sight of Moria slowly flying up to him. She gently gripped the handle of his broom and gave him a soft smile.

"Easy. Easy." She said gently. Harry took deep breaths and together the pair continued to fly. And slowly, Harry began to grin brightly. It was so wonderful up here. There wasn't a care in the world.

He was free and light as a bird.

It had been hours before Harry and Moria managed to go down. He was breathless, clutching his broom tightly. Max looked at her brother curiously.

"Did ya have fun?" She chirped. Harry broke into a large explanation and began talking nonstop. Moria merely smiled before heading in to make dinner.

* * *

Moria studied Remus for a little bit as he watched Max draw Harry. Geoffrey was playing . Harry was oblivious to the tired look on Remus's scarred face as he posed heroically over a fallen teddy bear, apparently trying to look like those heroes in the shows that they just watched not really listened to because they still couldn't comprehend Italian being spoken so quickly.

Remus looked exhausted, she knew it was because of the upcoming full moon…the urge to become the beast inside him becoming harder and harder to fight each night. But he still fought against it as long as he could. Most likely for Geoffrey, Harry and Max's sake more than hers. It pissed her off though…here she was an animagus and he kept sneaking out to wherever before she noticed so she wouldn't be there. Secretively. Well this time it was going to change.

She was going to make sure of that.

* * *

Remus slowly woke up. He had said he was tired and had gone to take a nap, which was true…but for a different reason. It was a few hours before dusk. He had found an abandoned tunnel far and deep away from civilization for the transformations which had been his sanctuary for months. He got up quietly and began to sneak out. Now all he needed to do was-

"Going somewhere Lupin?"

He turned around. Moria was leaning on the door frame as though she had been there the entire time. "It's called a charm Remus." She merely said and he cursed to himself. "Trying to sneak off again? Honestly Remus John Lupin, you have got to be a bit better at sneaking off without me noticing."

"You know why I am."

"Yes I know why…and I'll be coming with you." She said and he immediately stiffened.

"No. No you are not!" He refused adamantly. "Do you think what I'll be going through will be fun?! Because it's not!" he argued and she stared at him.

"I'm fully aware of that. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to help. You need someone there with you, though you don't know it."

"Moria-!"

"I am an animagus Remus. I can handle being there with you. Just like what Sirius, James, and Peter did."

"That's different. They-!"

"They became animagi specifically for you Remus. Try as you might, you aren't going to get me to not come. And the longer you argue, the less time you have with your humanity." She said and he quickly glanced at the window to see the sunset. He looked back at her and saw she was staring intently.

He sighed rubbing his brow wearily.

"Fine." He finally murmured. "What about the kids?"

"They're being babysat by Chelsea. We're going to be in the shed, alright?"

"What did you plan this out or something?" he asked and she grinned.

"My little secret okay?" she asked softly and he sighed again before releasing a tired, defeated sounding laugh before grabbing her hand.

* * *

"Well I'm impressed." Moria said offhandedly walking around observing. She could feel Remus staring at her as though he still couldn't fathom the reason why she would come willingly with him. "I think this a pretty well done space for your transformations. Once you get used to me hanging around we can run around the property."

"Look, don't turn." Was all he said. He might as well have said turn because she looked behind her.

"Why is tha-" she began to ask but stopped as he began to unbutton his shirt. He looked up quick enough to see her turn quickly, a rosy hue blatant on her face. His eyebrow lifted.

"And here I thought only Sirius made you blush."

"Coming from the man that is stripping!" she retorted.

"Unless you want to drag a naked man back to the apartment tomorrow, I have to. I take off my clothes so I can at least have something wear the next day."

"Though you'll look like you would be mugged." She said offhandedly. She heard him say something but more tuned into the sound of a zipper being pulled downwards and fabric falling soon after. She was partially glad it was dark in her corner, because her face was probably a bright red. "Hm? What was that?"

"I'm surprised Sirius didn't tell you any of this."

"It never really crossed my mind to ask if you stripped every full moon." She retorted evenly and he let a rough chuckle out. "I'm not going to have to dress you tomorrow am I?" she asked.

"No. When I wake up I'll manage to do that. You'll just have to help me back and maybe dress my wounds." He said and she snorted.

"That shouldn't be too hard…the amount of injuries Harry gets I'm still a Healer only with one pati-" She began but was interrupted by a loud, pained growl. Moria turned quickly to see Remus hunched over in pain. "Remus!" she cried out bolting to him, forgetting the fact he was stark naked.

"Change!" he cried out. She looked at him in confusion, more worried about him.

"What?"

"GOD DAMMIT MORIA, CHANGE INTO YOUR ANIMAGUS FORM!" he roared out and she took several steps back in surprise before complying. She shifted into her small form and stared at Remus as her gripped the sides his arms tightly. She watched as his skin stretched and pulled as his body grew, hair beginning to grow in odd places. She watched in some type of fascination as his bones began to rearrange themselves. Heard them crack, shift, reform and winced. His body grew in height, his feet becoming more canine.

For her transforming into an animagus was different. It was a spell and didn't force the bones to break and heal, only to re-break the following morning and form back. It must be pure agony. His mouth and nose elongated into a muzzle, his jaws snapping loudly and breaking before reforming his face into that what she would honestly imagined a mixture of a human and wolf would create. And howled in anguish as his mind reverted to the basic instincts of the beast, his eyes changing to animalistic gold, the pupils turning almost into slits, the sclera darkening into a mixture of sickening grey-green. Nowhere was the resemblance of her friend, now stood a wolf hybrid.

The wolf stood quivering on the bare, scratched floor. It shook itself once, twice, and dropped to four paws. Hurt. She growled softly, affectionately, making small slow steps toward him. He swerved his attention to her and growled in warning as though Remus John Lupin's mind was still there and he was worried what he would do to her. However she knew there was no longer the mind of a man. She paused before slowly advancing, allowing her form to seem meek and tiny. Well it was in comparison to his shape and size but she continued to allow him to dominate the situation. She just hoped he remembered what she looked like in this form and he didn't try to attack her or worse kill-

She had to repress a shudder as he licked her from her head down to her back. Merlin, in the morning she was going to kill him for that. She released a low growl of annoyance but didn't fight. He let out several low growls and began to pace. Moria just sat there watching him pace.

He was comforted by this presence. No it would never replace Sirius, James, and Peter…nothing would ever change that.

But right then it felt just right.

* * *

"I hate boys!" Max pouted as she began to explore the forest by herself. Just because she was younger than them and a girl, didn't mean she couldn't hang out Geoffrey and Harry while Uncle Remus was resting after…what her mother had called his furry problem. But nnnoooo…when her mother had left for work, those two went to go play Aurors and Villains! And was she invited? No!

She kept grumbling under her breath as she climbed over a fallen tree trunk. A three year old probably shouldn't have been out here alone, but she and Harry had done this bunches of times, and they had a way of getting back. She glanced around at the trees, watching as the shadows flitted on the ground. It just wasn't fair, she thought dryly as she continued exploring. Just because she was younger than them, didn't mean that she couldn't keep up. Really, it wasn't like she-

Her thoughts were disrupted when she came across a sunken grotto. She stood there staring at it, curious as to what was in there. She continued sitting there, curled up as she stared at the entrance. She slowly became aware of a cracking sound, and the area that she was standing on was sinking. She barely managed to let out a short yelp as she tumbled down the slope, hitting the ground face first. She let out a whimper as she sat up, rubbing her face. Thankfully she didn't feel blood. Just scraped up.

She looked up as an eerie wind groaned through the cave opening. She stood up, brushing off unseen dirt that had been on her jumper. She played with the hem of her shirt nervously, debating on whether or not she should go in and explore. She looked up at the ledge she had fallen from and then back at cave. What would her father have done, given the circumstances? If her mother's stories were true…go on in.

Gathering up her courage she took several steps into the cave. She continued walking down the cavern. Stalactites dripped condensation down to the ground. She continued walking. She didn't see the dip until it was too late and she let out a short yelp as she fell farther down. When she finally landed, it was fully on her face. Again. She curled up, trying to stifle the pain traveling from her nose, numbing the rest of her face.

Then something moved.

Her eyes snapped open and she slowly, fear rising in her belly, hardening into a lump. She watched as a broken hole in the cave above them illuminated a large form, much taller than her mother…even uncle Remus stood there observing her. He wore large, ratty clothing that looked as though it had been made out of animal skins at one point, but the fur had long since gone, leaving only the hide of the animal behind. He had hands about the size of her head with three clawed fingers, and muscles that could probably snap her body in two if she tried. Bulging eyes stared at her from bandages that covered his scalp.

They stared at each other, almost dumbly at first.

Then she let out a petrified scream, scrambling backwards till her back slammed into the rock wall. Her scream was soon drowned out by the echoing cry from the creature as it bounded backwards into the opposite wall. She stopped now, staring at the, the…thing…that was cowering there.

"I sowwy!" The thing sobbed in a voice that sounded like what had happened to Harry when his nose was all stuffed up. Granted it was a sound deeper, but it still had that stuffed up voice sound. "I sowwy! I did't mean to scae dou."

She stared at him, her head cocking to the side. He kept apologizing…strangely not in Italian, but a butchered version of English. She took a timid step towards him, careful to see if he was fake crying. He however seemed sincere in his panic. Gently, with a small, trembling hand she pressed it to his forearm, realizing just how tiny it was in comparison. He jerked away, looking at her in surprise.

"W…what's your name?" She asked timidly, half-expecting to anger him. He looked at her strangely.

"Oggie."

"Augie?" She repeated. He shook his head, the tattered remains of the bandages fluttering.

"No. I'd Oogie."

"….Auggee?" She said again. Exasperated he moved and she flinched. He hesitated and then pressed two of his fingers to her cheeks, pushing them together.

"Ooo…" She began. He then stretched out her cheeks, her expression reminiscent of the Cheshire Cat from that Alice in Wonderland movie she had watched days before. "Gee…." She said.

"Yed. Li'e tha."

She looked at him and then gave him a smile.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Oggie." She said cheerfully. "My name is Max."

"Max…"

"Mhm." She said. "Um…Mr. Oggie? I don't mean to be rude…" She stated, shifting around as she tried to gauge his reaction. "But I can't get up the way I came…" She explained, pointing where she had fallen. "Could you…maybe…" She began to ask and he let out a low, rumbling type of laugh.

"Of courd." He replied and she squeaked when vines wrapped around her waist, and hoisted her onto the ledge above.

"How did you do that?!" She exclaimed. He chuckled.

"I da Bugul Noz." He replied. "Now go on. Leabe." He remarked. She bit her lip hesitantly and then nodded.

"I'll see you later!" She called out and turned, rushing out. Had she looked farther, she would have seen his expression of confusion and surprise. It took her a few minutes to make her way outside, even longer to manage to scramble OUT of the hole. She patted the dirt from her overalls and then began walking back to from where she had originally been walking from. She heard the faintest of sounds rustling at her feet and looked down to see a brown snake with blackish transverse bars slithering towards her. On the nape there is a dark U-shaped mark and there was a dark streak from the eye to the corner of the mouth, a dark band from eye to eye across the prefrontals, and a black line below the eye. It stopped to observe her and she bent down, placing her hand down on the ground. It slithered towards her curiously and then up her arm.

She laughed softly, knowing it had no intention of hurting her.

"-ax! Max?!" She heard and looked up to see Harry and Geoffrey running up to her.

"Oh hi!" She chirped. Neither returned the smile.

"You are in so much trouble!" Harry implored.

"You won't tell!"

"What makes you say that we won't?" Harry asked hotly. She was silent for a few minutes, before holding up the snake that was contently wrapped around her wrist. The high pitched girlish screams gave her an evil delight as Harry literally jumped into Geoffrey's arms and Geoffrey stumbled backwards. She chuckled.

"Because if you tell, I'LL tell EVERYONE you screamed like little girls to a harmless snake." She sang and both boys turned a bright red. She laughed and let the snake down, who slithered away. The trio then left, the boys making Max PROMISE that she wouldn't breathe a word about that.

None of them noticed the large shadowed figure observing them, particularly Max. She hadn't been frightened by him, and unlike many girls, was abnormally calm when it came to that snake. What an odd little girl. It seemed he would have to observe her a bit more closely.

* * *

Remus glanced over to the bookshelf when he heard loud grunting and straining, observing Max trying to reach Moria's old Care of Magical Creatures books.

"What are you doing, Max?" He asked tiredly walking up. She stuck out her tongue as she strained.

"Trying to get a book."

"Yes, but why?" He asked.

"Because."

"What, did you decide to let your father possess you?" He asked as he pulled out the book. She gave him a bright, teasing smile.

"I don't think Daddy liked reading too much."

Remus chuckled and ruffled her hair. She laughed. "True, true."

"Thanks Uncle Moony." She chirped before rushing away. She went to her bed and crawled onto it. She flipped the pages to the back, knowing that was where all the names were. She scanned names, trying to keep remembering what that thing had called himself. Bugul Noz…

Finally she found it and flipped to the pages.

"_The __**Bugul Noz**__ is a fairy spirit who lives in the woodlands of Brittany. He is the last of his kind and is said to be incredibly ugly, a fact which causes him distress. His appearance is so awful that even woodland animals avoid him, and he sometimes cries out to warn humans of his approach, so that he won't frighten them. Though not malicious (indeed, rather kind and gentle), he is always alone because of his hideous visage."_

She continued looking at the picture and felt a twinge of sadness for him. To be alone merely because of looks.

Well that would have to change…wouldn't it?


	8. THE ITALIAN MINISTER

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!**

"Now remember, I don't want you leaving the park at all." A young woman with black hair tied neatly in a ponytail said to the gaggle of small children. "Stay with your trip buddy at all times, and if you have any problems, I want you to come to me."

"Yes Ma'am." The group replied. Max held onto Harry's hand tightly looking around. They had gone to the local park, a small park. She didn't necessarily mind it as it was really a fine. There was a cool outdoor stairwell that went up a few feet. Some daredevils would jump off various floors to see if they could jump into the trees…at least that's what the rangers said. Thankfully the top floors were closed off at the moment. But the first two floors were open. She fiddled with her locket, looking around, but stayed close to Harry. It had taken a lot of pleading on their part to be paired with Harry. Currently they were on the second floor with other students, the teacher nearby talking to other adults.

"Oye, Cretina!"

"Oh no…" She murmured as they turned. Harry frowned in annoyance.

"What do you want Eligio?" Harry said coolly.

"Just wanted to know how the Witch is?" He asked and Harry looked confused as did Max.

"What makes me a witch?" She asked nervously. She didn't remember doing any accidental magic lately. But that was just it…it was accidental, meaning she didn't have any control over it or knowledge of how to stop it. Eligio snorted, looking as though she was something nasty a dog left and he had stepped in.

"Well you're ugly enough to be a witch." The young boy replied easily. Max flushed red, Harry _saw_ red.

"Take that back, Eligio." He warned.

"What's that?" The squat Italian boy asked, ignoring Harry and snatching Max's locket from her. She made a slight yelping sound, lurching forward, trying to grab it, but Eligio held it just above her reach.

"Give it back!"

"What is it?"

"It's mine. Now give it back!" She exclaimed, her voice cracking slightly. Harry moved forward threateningly. The other boy merely sneered, before tossing it over the edge. Max watched it, with a sinking heart, as it tangled in a tree branch. She continued staring at it as Harry rounded on Eligio.

"Why'd you do that? That was really important to her!" He snapped, shoving the boy backwards. Eligio shoved Harry in return.

"If she wants it back, she'll have to fly to get it back." He said with a huff, then grinned, much to Harry's anger. "Too ba-"

It seemed timed slow as Harry saw in his peripherals a dark blur rushing towards the railing. He heard the nearby teacher scream as Max pulled herself onto the railing and propelled herself forward. She seemed to almost make it to the tree branches, maybe a few inches away, before gravity took over and she fell like a stone. He could have sworn he heard a crunching sound, before that was drowned out by screaming as he raced down the stairwell.

It took him a few seconds to realize it was him.

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"Mum-"

"No. Don't Mum me." Moria snapped as she looked at her daughter, one of her tiny arms in a thick white cast, and a bandage on her cheek. She didn't even want to remember the patronus Remus had sent her at work about the call he had gotten from the daycare. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was just trying to get my necklace back."

"Maxine…" Moria hissed out, almost tiredly as she sat down on the hospital bed. Max sniffled and any angry notion disappeared. However the exhausted feeling from the loss of adrenaline kicked in. She kissed her daughter's head.

"You don't have any idea what it was like to get that call." She whispered into her daughter's hair. "I thought I had lost you too."

Max didn't need to ask who else her mother had lost. That was a list she didn't want to enter, nor did she want to bring up.

"I'm sorry Mummy." She said.

"Why was your necklace there in the first place? The teachers got it out of a tree."

"It was…" She trailed off. Her mother was already worried enough. Would adding the fact that Eligio bullied be stupid? She sighed. "I was swinging it around and not being careful."

Moria looked at her confused. That didn't sound like an actual answer. Had she the energy, she probably would have pressed. But right then, she was just happy her youngest baby hadn't broken her neck. She kissed her forehead.

"You'll give me more grey hair than your father ever managed." She whispered and she heard Max laugh.

* * *

"Pppllleeaaassseee…"

"Why the heck do you want to go back to the park that Max nearly broke her neck at?" Geoffrey asked, looking at Harry. "I don't."

"Because."

"Because why?" Geoffrey asked.

"Because her locket is still there." He replied easily. The six year old stared at him and then groaned.

"Fine. You do have a basic idea of where the locket is right?"

"Pretty much."

* * *

Geoffrey stared at the tall tree branch in mild disbelief.

"If you don't mind me asking…how do you think we're going to get the locket back?" Geoffrey asked. Harry shrugged.

"I dunno."

"You…" Geoffrey began than groaned. "Harry!"

"What? Auntie Moria always said to be spontaneous."

"Spontaneous is one thing, but we sort of need a plan that doesn't involve us breaking any laws." He grumbled.

"Ooh, ooh! I have an idea!" Harry suddenly exclaimed. Geoffrey looked at him.

"And that is?"

Apparently the plan involved Harry to climb onto Geoffrey's shoulders, and then, realizing he couldn't reach, climbed onto the young blonds head.

"Higher!"

"Oh, of course, Harry, WHAT was I thinking?" Geoffrey snapped struggling to straighten himself. "Standing up straight with a five year old on my head, what a novel thought!"

Harry didn't reply, but stretched in vain towards the necklace. It was then he began to lose his balance. Geoffrey tried to keep his balance, stumbling forward and then backwards. Two yelps sounded as they both fell, though one was cut off, as Harry landed on Geoffrey. They stayed still for a few moments.

"Alright…any other ideas Mr. Bright Ideas?" Geoffrey grumbled.

"Hey, at least I had an idea!" Harry snapped. "What about you?"

"Hey, I suggested we get my Dad." Geoffrey snapped back. "What were you expecting, that we yell 'LOCKET COME HERE' and it would magically glide effortlessly to us? I mean come on Har-"

His retort was cut off when he yelped loudly. A metallic object had torpedoed into the back of his head, clinking to the ground. Rubbing the back of his head vigorously and looked to see what had hit the back of his head. To the young boys surprise, there, gleaming in the afternoon, was Max's locket, laying there in an almost mocking fashion. They stared at it for a little while longer.

"Well…it didn't glide to us."

"Oh shut it, Harry."

But it had been worth it, the two boys finally conceded when they came back home and Max looked up, one arm still in a cast that she would be forced to wear, despite the fact that her mother was a witch. Muggles had seen her arm broken, so it wouldn't make sense for her to not have a cast…there were already drawings from the other two, as well as from Remus and Moria, though the adults had been more forced to do this, rather than just sign their names. She glanced at them curiously, before her eyes widened when they lifted the locket up, matching pairs of victory smiles echoed on their faces.

They had done well; they both thought as the little girl scrambled off of the couch and tackled the pair, crying out in glee.

They had done well.

* * *

"Our first mission!" Rosetta cheered, nearly jumping on the walls as they walked down the hall in the ministry. Moria sighed. She shifted in her uniform, still trying to get used to the outfit. It was a black sailor jacket over a light grey turtleneck. They wore black jeans and black boots. Moria had a wand holster wrapped around her left leg, allowing easy access to her wand. She glanced at Rosetta.

"Yes. Yes. Yes. It's not that big of a deal."

"Not a big deal? We're babysitting the Minister's children!"

"Babysitting. Children aren't that hard to take care of once you get to know them." Moria retorted. Giacintro looked at her annoyed.

"Oh? And what makes you such an expert."

"I'm the mother of two children."

"I don't remember seeing a husband at the graduation ceremony."

"THAT is none of your business." Moria retorted angrily, storming away from him. He looked at her in confusion, before rolling his eyes and continuing to follow the rest of the group. Rosetta and Florentia wisely kept her mouth shut. It was obvious that the topic of her husband and how she came to being the guardian of Harry was a sore topic for her. They stopped when they rounded a corner, observing the group of five. If there weren't guards around the family, it would have been easy to assume that it was just a family out for a little trip to the Ministry. Moria observed three children all clamoring around the mother. Two young girls, probably twins she could gather, raced around the parents, while a small boy clutched his mother's skirt, sucking on his thumb. Lucio was talking to the father of the group. He noticed the six adults and motioned them to come over, which they did.

"Minister. This is my team."

"Ah wonderful!" He replied with a broad grin. Moria was struck by his personality and the way he held himself, and how completely…opposite this man was to the English Minister. From the papers that she got from England, Cornelius Fudge barely looked like the most capable man of handling department of the government, let alone the Ministry, even during a time of peace. He was short and squat, balding and his hair already greying, and had the body shape reminiscent of the Pillsbury dough boy who had tried to wear clothes and came out looking like a clown wearing expensive garments that she could probably never purchase with her paycheck, if, of course she ever had the insane inkling to purchase a green bowler hat and a pinstripe suit. Likewise Fudge always had a lazy 'I'm better than you' expression on his face, and seemed to care more about his image than the actual Ministry itself, which had always screamed 'unhelpful' to her.

Guilio Racciopa, however, was a tall and burly man, nearly 6'3'' and stood proudly in front of them, though he still looked like he would actually listen to you if you had a problem. He had a full head of hair as well as a beard, and though thin lines of gray streaked through it, was still a dark black. His outfit, though a suit, was a simple muggle-business suit. There was nothing show-offy that made himself stand out or scream for attention. If she hadn't been introduced to him as the Minister, chances were she wouldn't have known. His eyes, however, was what startled her. He didn't look at any of them as though they were beneath him. Instead they seemed to consider all of them as his equals.

It was suffice to say, a refreshing change.

"I'm pleased to meet you all." He said cheerfully. They offered smiles. "I'd like you to meet my wife, Sofia." He said gesturing to the woman in a conservative witch robe and simple jewelry who gave them a soft smile. "And these are my children, Clara, Celia, and Samuele."

Moria glanced down and spotted them rather quickly. The two girls looked several years older than their brother, and apparently were twins. One of the girls had her long hair pulled into pigtails wearing a red jumper. The other girl had a ribbon tied on one side of her head, wearing a purple jumper. The small boy clutched his mother's skirt tightly, shyly peeking out from beyond her legs. Moria offered a soft smile and he ducked his head further behind his mother's leg. Moria smiled.

"They're adorable."

"Thank you." Sofia gushed.

"Mommy, who are they?"

"They are aurors."

"Aurors have girls?!" The girl in the pigtails said in excitement. Moria cast a glance at Giacintro who looked like he had swallowed a lemon and inwardly she smirked, nodding her answer. Suddenly she was tackled by the said girl, who wrapped her arms around her legs.

"You're an auror?! Wow! What's it like? Do you have to train a lot? Do you have to work out? Do you get a lot of missions? Do you go to extraordinary places? What about-"

"Clara!" The other girl exclaimed. "That's not polite!" She argued.

"I was just asking a question."

"Questions!"

The pair started arguing while Moria looked at Sofia, who looked embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry. She gets overly excited over these things." Sofia apologized and Moria offered a bright smile, shaking her head.

"Think nothing of it. I have two children of my own, so I'm quite used to this." Moria said with a smile. The children were chittering and chattering amongst each other, granted the girls were more arguing and the boy was observing. Giacintro looked at this point as though he wanted to crash through a large paned window. She smiled brightly.

Sofia smiled brightly.

"I'm glad there's a parent in this group. Normally we would take them with us, but with the Egyptian Minister not a big fan of children, we didn't want to drag them around and bore them." She explained. Moria opened her mouth to reply, but was silenced when there was a slight crashing sound. She turned to see a man struggling to right himself, carrying a ton of laundry, documents, and other things. She excused herself and went over to the figure hidden by a ton of sheets.

"Are you alright?" She asked. The man grunted a reply.

"I…I-I am fine." He stammered out. "M-M-most s-s-sorrrrrry f-f-f-for startling y-you." He stammered "C…can you g-grab t-those f-f-for me?" He asked. She was silent and began to pick up several books that had fallen down, straightening them before placing them in his open hand. It felt as though a bolt of electricity went through her hand, an uneasy feeling settled in her stomach, and she pulled away, glancing at him curiously. He didn't meet her eye contact, instead hurrying along. The Minister and his family didn't seem to notice.

"Who was that?" Moria murmured to Lucio as she walked back.

"The butler, Paolino Dinapoli." He explained. "43. Single. A squib that the minister hired to help manage the house. He works incredibly hard to maintain his job. Why?"

"Nothing…" She muttered glancing at where he had walked away to, observing as he went around a corner. "Nothing at all."

* * *

The Minister and his wife had left a little while ago. Lucio had gone to make sure that the charms and protective barriers were put up. The rest of the group was having a makeshift 'tour' of the Ministry. However, Moria had split from the group, Clara insistent on showing her a place that she visited multiple times without her parents and siblings

"An' this is the Oracle's Temple!"

"Oracle?" Moria murmured. "Like a seer?" She asked.

"Mhm!" Clara exclaimed. "Oracles are people who can hear the words of the spirits, tell people's fortunes, make prophecies, etc. People travel from really far away to meet our Oracle."

"Well, can't she be wrong?" Moria asked and Clara looked scandalized.

"No! That can't happen! Oracle Anima, can't! Oracles can never be wrong, and they can never lie, or they lose their powers!" The young girl exclaimed. Moria frowned, remembering that a single prophecy, that even now, she was not privy enough to know what had been said, had been what cost James and Lily their lives. She shook her head as she followed the little girl in in. As she passed, the counsel and temple workers bowed slightly to the young girl. Finally they faced a large stone door, decorated with various designs, entering it a few moments later. Moria spotted a figure sitting a seiza position farthest away from them. She sat on a low…what Moria would consider a throne of sorts, and in front of the throne was a table that had a hollow center, filled with clear water and small, pebble sized stones. Incense filtered the air and Moria forced herself not to cough. She continued to look around, trying to spot any points where there would be a break in security, or if the need was necessary, an escape route. As she finally focused on the oracle herself, she found herself a bit more surprised by how old the Oracle looked than the actual temple.

"Welcome, in this place, completely uncover the mirror of your heart and accept the Earth spirits' will." Oracle Anima said as Moria stared.

Seers that she had known and met in the English Ministry had been old, disheveled looking. Their eyes had been wide, spouting out predictions of the weather, of death, and catastrophe. From when she had visited the Ministry, whether it had been to drop lunch off for Sirius, visit Lily, or for healing purposes, she didn't remember, she just remembered that had they been in the muggle world, the seers would have probably passed off to like homeless people.

However the person kneeling on the throne, who smiled up at her with clear, coherent eyes, whose clothes weren't wrinkled and dirty, instead clean and rather, she would suspect, expensive robes, the top of her head covered by subdued version of a pandita hat that trailed all the way down her back, wasn't an old person. Hell, she wasn't even a young adult.

She looked like she couldn't have been older than ten…maybe even eleven. She gave a smile to the pair. Moria continued to stare in surprise, before kneeling as Clara tugged on her pant leg and pointed down. Clara began to talk rapidly to the Oracle, Moria continued to glance around of the cavern.

"I knew you would be coming…Moria Black, wife of Sirius Black." She heard and jerked back into reality. She stood up, glaring in warning. "Please calm yourself, Madam Black. I mean no harm. I am only the one that ties the seen and unseen worlds together. I only bestow others with words…that is all."

Moria stared at then scoffed. The girl gave a soft smile.

"…aren't you a little…young…to be showing well…such control over your magic?" Moria asked. The girl laughed loudly, while Clara looked surprised.

"Such a question I haven't been asked in a long time." The girl exclaimed then smiled. "My family is a unique one. Only one Oracle can live." She replied. "When that Oracle dies, the moment he or she takes their last breath, a new one is born. We have their memories, their lives. Their powers. My powers of 'vision' would often let me see thousands of different 'dreams'. Dreams of siblings suffering from sickness. Dreams of birth, death, illness, sadness, happiness. Their dreams became mine, and their being became mine. I have no other abilities other than this."

"Hm…" Moria replied softly, trying not to sound impolite.

"You are very wary of people like me, are you not?"

"I've had a bad experience with seers." She replied dryly. "Besides, knowing my name merely means that you've heard of my husband's name. He was popular to read about a few years ago."

"But for something he was innocent of, yes?"

That got Moria' attention.

"However it is most unfortunate, but I am unable to search for the location of the actual perpetrator. They refuse to be found."

"Figures." Moria grumbled. The girl seemed to observe her as she glanced around.

"You want to know about him again…don't you? You want to know about…_that_...person."

Moria looked up as the girl lifted her hand up, in her slack grip a pebble. "Place your hand and grasp the stone. Picture this person in your mind." She ordered. Moria hesitated briefly, before looking at the girl warily and doing as she was told. When Moria's hand enclosed around the smooth stone, Anima she pressed her other hand over Moria's.

"Your connection with him is strong…if it is you, then you can reach him." She heard. Before she could open her mouth to ask what she meant, she was pulled by what seemed to be an invisible force and soon after it was like she was flying at hyper-speed. Everything seemed to disappear, the background rushing away from her.

_Even if it's just for a moment._

_If I can just see him one more time._

She landed on a stone floor, and wrinkled her nose at the mold and mildew that was growing on it. She could hear the screams and laughs of the damned, and was even able to smell sea salt from the North Sea. Even if she was in this form, and probably couldn't feel anything physically, she shivered as she looked around the cell of Azkaban. Scratch marks made in a form of rudimentary tally marks had been etched into one wall. There were some blood streaks and she swallowed, trying not to think about what that meant or how they came to be.

She continued looking around until she spotted a figure curled up in a corner. She swallowed, trying to force the lump down at the figure that was sleeping. He was so…thin looking. Sickly. His hair had grown out, and a beard was visible on his face. Dark bags were under his eyes and he curled into the fetal position. Even so, she could see a large gash to his chest that had been rather hastily, and, in her opinion, rather crudely patched and bandaged up. She continued to stare at him, then kneeled down in front of him, placing a hand on his chest.

He couldn't see her, he couldn't feel her, and unless a miracle occurred, they would never see each other again. She bit her bottom lip, then blinked when Sirius' hand slowly gripped around the area that her hand was resting. She looked up and saw that he was staring, with half opened eyes at her. They were blank, any definition of the Sirius she knew was absent, but they still were staring.

Could he see her?

"Moria…James…Lily…I'm sorry." He murmured, almost drunkenly. She felt her heart break.

"_Sirius…"_ She murmured, but he didn't hear her. He just kept repeating that same phrase over and over again. Suddenly she felt as though she was being pulled back, almost as though she had touched a port key. She swallowed and tried to fight it, but couldn't. Soon she was dragged away into swirling darkness.

She snapped out of her stupor and found herself back in Italy, staring at Oracle Anima, who was smiling gently at her. Clara looked impatient.

"Your bond with him is strong. Do not fret. Everything will be righted in due time." Anima stated softly.

"What'd you see?" Clara asked loudly as Moria brushed her hand under her eyes. She wasn't sure if she could speak right then without her voice cracking. Anima smiled at Clara.

"Leave her be, Miss Clara."

"But-"

"Miss Clara."

"…fine." The little girl finally conceded in exasperation.

"We…we should probably head back. Your siblings and the rest of my team are probably wondering where we are." Moria finally said, clearing her throat. She offered a slight head bow to Oracle Anima, who waved goodbye to the pair.

"What a strange future that woman has." Anima stated as she looked at the fallen stones in the water the shallow pool that lay in front of her. She tossed the pebble she had used with Moria back into the water, watching the ripples that formed.

_It only takes one to start. __So small at first, the ripples, then look how they grow. But someone has to start them._

_Maybe it will be you Moria._

_Maybe not._

_Time will tell._

_Time will tell._

**SSSSOOOO…WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? THERE IS A REASON THAT THIS ELIGIO BOY IS IN THERE. AND IT WILL HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH MAX IN THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS. ANYHOO, THE LOCKET IDEA CAME FROM SVETLANA CHMAKOVA'S STORY "On The Importance Of Space Travel". IT'S A CUTE SHORT STORY, SO I REALLY IMPLORE YOU TO READ IT :)**

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!**


	9. PLOTS

"Max, where are you going?" Remus called out as he saw a dark head of hear turn around the corner and head to the backdoor.

"I'm going to go explore!" She called out. He looked at her quizzically.

"You've been doing that a lot lately. You find something interesting?"

He could say that.

"The forest is interesting to look around in. Not one place is the same." She replied. "And I get plenty of things to draw!" She exclaimed and he laughed.

"Ah. So that's the reason."

"Well Harry and Geoffrey are outside flying on brooms, so I need to do something." She replied. "And I'll be home before dinner!" she called out racing out of the house and into the trees at the edge of the backyard.

* * *

"Oggie!" Max called out as she scrambled over a fallen tree. As she slid over it, she heard the sounds of trees cracking as they seemed to slide away. She laughed breathlessly. He was close. "Oggie!"

Then he was in front of her. She smiled brightly.

"Hi!"

"So how awe you?"

"I'm starting to take dance lessons." She commented as she followed him.

"Weally?"

"Mhm. Mummy says I need to do a physical activity. Harry and Geoffrey play Quidditch…and I normally draw, so I decided to do some dance classes."

"How nice." Oggie remarked and she smiled.

"So what are you doing?" She asked, as she followed him.

"Talking to de spirits."

"…spirits live here?"

"Of courd."

Max looked around the forest as time seemed to still again. Leaves fluttered in the wind, birds sang their melodies. Still, even though it should have been just her, Oggie, and wildlife, she felt as though they were being observed.

"My mum never said there were spirits that lived here."

"Thad because many Wizarding socidees do nod know of the spirits."

"But if they're ghosts…" She trailed off in confusion. Oggie shook his head.

"No. No. No…nod ghosts." Oggie explained, sitting down and began to draw in the dirt. Max observed. "This is the world." He remarked, drawing a circle. "Whoman's libe here."

"Whomans? Oh you mean humans." Max stated. He nodded. He then drew a larger circle around the other circle.

"This id where magic people libe."

"People like me?"

"Yed." Oggie said. "Many Magikers believe dey libe just 'bove humans…"

"I think they're pretty even." She replied. "At least that's what my family thinks."

"They'd be wight." Oggie said. "Dhough they libe differently than whoman's, even 'ave abilities that are diffent than whomans, They are still jus that…whomans. Ghosts are also in dis category."

"But aren't they spirits?"

"Dat were originally whomans." He answered.

"So…spirits are…" She trailed off as he drew another circle, this one above the other two circles.

"Spirits are dose who libed on dis world longer than you, me, your family, the whoman race…dey created the world that we libe on today."

"Oh...ooohhhh…so like Mother Nature?" She asked cocking her head.

"Her name is Gaia, but yes. She is de oldest of dem all."

"Cool." Max commented.

"You neber know. You might meet 'er." Oggie commented and Max's face became a furious shade of red.

"I doubt it. I'm not that special."

"You are."

"Clearly you haven't met my brother." She replied softly, giving a proud smile. "He's the special one. I mean he beat Voldemort and everything." She explained without really even thinking about how the name would affect Oggie. To her surprise, he didn't move. He didn't even flinch.

"He is special in his own rights. But you are jus as special." Oggie returned and she blushed again. Gently he pressed a finger to her chest and she looked down, surprised to see his nail on his finger was glowing, pressed to her chest.

"Spirits are very close to you, Maxien."

"Really?" She asked. "What makes you think that?"

"Your motder went through many trials during the time she was pregnant wit you." He explained. Max looked at him curious. How could he have known? She hadn't even known about her mother's capture until she had asked about her scarred arm. "Through dose trials, you became irreversibly closer to that connection of de spirit and whoman world."

"….oookkkkkaaaayyyy…so did I die momentarily or something?" She asked with her head cocking to the side. He chuckled.

"No. You were much stronger dan people anticipated. Your motder on the other hand nearly did once. She brough' erself back. A stron whoman. Oderwise you wouldn' be here."

She was silent, contemplating. Then she looked at her friend quizzically.

"So…what does that make me?"

"That makes you, you." He replied. "I hab decided to teach you to understand de natural spirits." He said suddenly, standing back up.

"Well I guess that makes se…wait...what?" She said, snapping out of her thoughts, quite sure she hadn't heard him correctly. He smiled. "Really?"

"Yes."

Her blush was bright now and she fiddled with a strand of her hair. "We will start soon if that is alrigh' for you." She seemed to contemplate before nodding. She didn't really know how much she could actually do, but she was willing to try. She could learn.

* * *

"I still think there should be two people patrolling the kid's room." Moria argued at Giacintro. "That way there are two pairs of eyes surveying the scene."

"I can handle it myself." He replied shortly.

"I'm not saying you can't." Moria snapped looking at her teammate hotly. "I'm just saying that in a strategic standpoint, it makes more sense to have two watching the room, instead of one watching the room and five others patrolling the grounds." She continued. He looked at her.

"No. Just follow my command."

"Oh I'll follow your command." She grumbled as she turned around. "I'll follow you the moment I shove my boot up your arse." She continued as she walked around a corner to look for Rosetta.

"P-problem?" She heard and turned around to see Paolino Dinapoli standing there holding some linen.

"No. No problem" She replied. "Just discussing things with my teammate."

"A-ah." He replied and continued walking. She looked at him and followed him, observing him curiously.

"So…" she said. "Paolino Dinapoli right? That must have been quite a mouthful to say at school."

The man offered a small smile, fiddling with the towels, but didn't reply. She floundered, trying to figure out something else to say.

"Do you live close here?"

"O-oh. Sort o-of. I h-have an apartment n-near here. But m-my permanent home is n-near the beach. An old home my m-mother used to live in. It's n-near Viareggio."

"Viareggio that's a…nice…." She said but trailed off when he made an abrupt turn and hurried down another corridor. Moria frowned, staring at him before shrugging and going to find Rosetta. Finding her wasn't too difficult. She was waist deep in some ferns that lay in pots on the ground.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the three kids will have to worry about being eating alive by a fern." She remarked. The younger girl squeaked and jerked forward, losing her footing and face planting further into the bushes. Moria sighed before going over.

"Here. Let me help you up." She said with a grunt, dragging the girl back onto her feet.

"Thanks."

"What the heck were you doing?"

"Oh, I was making sure there weren't any escape exits here."

"Why the heck would there be escape exits here behind a bunch of bushes?" Moria asked with a raised eyebrow. Rosetta laughed.

"Because silly, you know that the maids and everyone else go through corridors hidden behind the walls. I just want to make sure that there isn't any way that an intruder could get in through there."

"Aren't those corridors sealed up by charms that only let authorized people through? Like a Fidelius Charm?" Moria asked, glancing at the wall. Rosetta blinked and then a blush rose on her cheeks.

"Oh…right."

"Don't beat yourself up about it. Fidelius Charms aren't exactly used unless in extreme security cases."

"So how do you know about them?"

"You learn a lot when you're going through a war." She replied.

"Oh…right…Wizarding War…right." Rosetta replied and then realized. "Oh Merlin, Moria, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories if I did-"

"You didn't. Honest." Moria replied with a smile. "I just happen to know what that charm entails. No big deal."

"Right." Rosetta stated.

"…you got new boots I see." Moria commented as she glanced down, changing the subject as she could clearly see Rosetta was uncomfortable. "Interesting design on them."

Rosetta beamed.

"Mhm. And I added a little DIY feature to them."

"Really?" Moria asked with a slight smile. "Well aren't you the little inventor?" She teased, earning a bright blush. "Show me later." She stated.

"Do you want me to make you a pair?" Rosetta asked.

"Sure." Moria replied and Rosetta nodded.

"So you saw the Oracle?" She suddenly asked and Moria sighed. She should have known Clara would have asked one of the other girls about it.

"Yup." Moria replied as she walked down yet ANOTHER hall with Rosetta.

"So…what did you see?" Rosetta asked.

"It's personal."

"Ah."

The reply had been simple, but Moria was well aware of what was implied behind the word. She sighed, pushing her hair back.

"So, why are the kids at such a risk that they require an entire team of aurors?" Rosetta asked. "I mean I understand they're the Minister's children an all, but…"

"Two reasons actually." Moria replied. Rosetta looked at her as they turned down a corner. "One reason is because of that. They're the Minister's children, therefore could be used against him if opposition managed to snatch them." She replied. "The second reason is probably just as simple."

"And that is?"

"You are fairly aware of the opposition the Minister had when he took office." Moria responded. "Seeing as you were here when it happened. The Ministry is worried that opposing fanatical goers will try to take them out of retaliation for him taking office."

"I see." Rosetta remarked. "I think it's cruel when they involve children in adult matters. It should remain just between those who can fight back."

Moria couldn't agree more as she fiddled with her necklace.

"…Can I ask you something now?"

"Yeah?"

"What's Muraro's story?"

"Story?"

"Yeah, I mean why does he hate women?"

"Oh he doesn't. He was quite the womanizer back in school. He just isn't really keen on women having higher or equal statuses than men."

"Why?"

Rosetta opened her mouth to reply, but a loud, shrieking siren echoed throughout the hall. They looked up and dashed to where they knew the charm belonged to.

"Muraro?!" Moria called out as they finally made it to the room, their wands drawn. They saw the door had been pushed open. When they entered, Moria felt like she was in déjà vu as she saw burn patterns on walls, torn linen and sheets, discarded toys. A skylight was hanging open. A figure shifted as Moria and Rosetta pointed their wands at him. But it was Giacintro.

"Where are the kids?!" Moria spat out.

"Got snatched." He said in a weak voice. "Out the skylight and onto the roof."

"Rosetta, give me a lift."

"But Moria-"

"NOW, Rosetta." She ordered and the younger female complied, hoisting her up. Moria quickly climbed onto the roof, barely managing to duck as a spell sliced over her head. "Son of a-" She snapped throwing a stunning hex towards the other person. He dodged it nimbly and then took off down the roofs, Moria was in close pursuit.

"Damn it all, why did there have to be anti-apparition spells?!" She snapped as she continued to run. The git was fast, she'd give him that. But it didn't seem he was trying to escape. Merely get ahead of her. "Wait a minute…" She grumbled, sliding to a stop in confusion. What the hell was going on? Shouldn't have been TRYING to stun her? Or kill her?

Suddenly a thick piece of twine wrapped around her throat, yanking her off her feet. She gasped trying to breath, before shoving her head back, smashing the back of her head into her attacker. He let out a muffled yelp and released her. As she regained her breath, she was spinning around, rotating her wrist in the air, and smashing her fist into his face. He stumbled backwards.

"CAGNA!"

"Glad to be one!" She snapped, as she kicked him in the stomach. He tumbled backwards over the edge of the roof and she watched him fall. Panting, she turned as she listened to him crash into some trashcan's, disrupting an alley cats sleep, to see where the other one had gone. The rooftops were empty. Gone was the runner she had spotted and had chased after. She growled and then looked over the ledge to see where the one she had just fought ended. She blinked, now in confusion.

Okay, even if he hadn't broken anything from the fall, which was highly unlikely, he would have been at least winded for a little bit. How the bloody hell had he managed to get up?

As she stared at the now empty crash scene, a memory filtered in. A substitution charm.

"Dammit." She hissed out. A sound came from behind her and she spun around, smacking the person behind her. However the figure flung her backwards causing her to slide across the roof.

"Stupefy!" She yelled out, but the figure nimbly dodged. "Wha-"

She barely managed to duck as the figure's hand sliced past her face, and she saw the familiar glint of blade. The figure was small in stature, almost the size she had been as a fifteen year old. The figure continued attempting to slash Moria who dodged. She spun and slammed her foot into the person's waist, sending her backwards. The person threw a blade towards Moria who dodged. A second glint flashed past her face and she felt a sting to her face. Pressing her hand to her cheek, she felt warmth.

"…clever." She admitted. "You've been observing how I dodge, haven't you?" She said with a smirk. "Incredibly clever of you. That is rather intriguing."

The figure didn't answer, instead bolted towards Moria.

"Black!"

The figure slid to a stop as they both looked up to see figures racing towards them. They looked back at each other, and Moria could see a glare that clearly said that they would finish this later before he or she dashed to the other side of the roof, Moria close behind.

"Wait!" She yelled out as the form jumped down. She looked over the ledge to see a girl rushing into the streets that were filled with people that had gone out for a night around the town. She cursed under her breath and then turned as the rest of her team.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just got into a scuffle." Moria remarked, brushing the cut across her cheek, smearing the blood. "Did you find them?"

Lucio shook his head somberly. Moria frowned.

This wasn't good.

* * *

The yelling had been rather interesting to listen to. But it hadn't been directed at the majority of the team. That wasn't exactly true, Moria remembered dryly. They had been reprimanded for their inability to protect the kids. Severely. But they had only been lectured to.

Giacintro had been the one that had been suspended while his behavior was put under investigation.

She sighed and then winced when a salve was pressed against her cut cheek.

"Sorry." Florentia muttered. Moria offered a slight smile. They all were unhappy about this. But Giacintro hadn't been seen since they had been dismissed. She groaned. Since Lucio was in the group searching for the kids, being the oldest of the group had its disadvantage.

"Where's the nearest bar?" She asked. Florentia looked at her quizzically. "Just tell me."

"It's a street or so down."

"Thanks." She replied before standing and leaving. As she walked down the hall, she ran into Paolino Dinapoli, who was sobbing his eyes out.

"O-oh those p-poor children!" He wailed and she frowned. "T-taken through the sk-skylight." He sobbed and she withheld a growl. Did he HAVE to remind them of that? He kept on walking and she did as well. It took her only a few minutes to get to the bar. It took a few seconds to find Giacintro sitting, hunched over, at the bar. She walked over and sat next to him.

"Mind some company?"

"Go away, Black." He responded sourly. She offered a look, but seemed to ignore him.

"So…are you able to hold your firewhiskey really well? Or are you one of those people who go down with just one shot? I can hold mine pretty good. My husband and his best friend were able to as well…granted they never were really keen on figuring out when enough meant enough. Their other two friends however: complete light weights."

"What do you WANT?" He snapped out. "Beat me up for the failed mission?"

"Seeing as I got heavily reprimanded for beating the living crud out of a fellow student, and that the other aurors aren't going to be too happy with our team? No."

"Then to lecture me too? Because I've already listened to that!"

"No. What I want you to do is to talk to me." She replied. "Beating yourself up about it, blaming yourself, doesn't do shit."

He snorted, taking a slight sip from the shot glass, cleared his throat and then looked at her. His eyes were still clear, so it was apparent he hadn't started drinking until a few moments before her. "And you would be the expert on this? Please."

She gave a harsh laugh and then looked at him.

"Trust me, I know a lot about beating myself over stuff."

"Mhm. Explain to me how a woman like you would understand that."

"Is that all you ever think about?" She asked. He looked at her. She wasn't joking this time. Her face was impassive. "What is or isn't gender-specific between a male and a female? Not every woman fits into that cookie-mold that you've designated as a woman. Far from it actually."

"Uh-huh. Right."

"Alright. Then tell me, Muraro, what…or for this matter…who made you think that every woman has to fit this mold that you've constructed."

"My mother." He snapped and she blinked in surprise.

"So let me get this straight. You're narrowed vision on the female population, is something your _mother_ did to you? And you somehow deem that as fair. We all aren't your mother."

"You're more like her than you even know."

"Oh really?" She replied in sarcasm. "Then she must have been a dream to have in raising you, considering you and I don't get along at all."

"You want to know? Fine." He snapped, turning to look at her fully, his still filled glass partially sloshing over the brim. In the corner of her eye she could see the bartender making sure she was alright. She could handle it herself, but it was still nice to know that she wasn't completely alone. "You want to know my whole life, and why women just need to be protected, and need to stay OUT of male affairs." He snarled under his breath. She folded her arms and gave an 'I'm waiting' look. "Because my mother thought the same thing you did. That women were just as equal as men and they should be treated as such. And the men in my home village didn't like that. Not one bit. So one day, they decided enough was enough. A small group came and broke into our home. My mother managed to hide me before they found her. And they broke her." He said. She continued looking at him, knowing full well what the breaking probably entailed. He was silent for a few minutes, before turning back and swirling the cup slowly.

"They broke her…mind, body...soul. When I finally got out of the closet, my mother's eyes were vacant. That wasn't the mother who raised me for eight. It was a ghost. She was never the same after that."

"…so are you blaming women because of your mother…or because you couldn't protect her?" Moria asked softly and he was silent. "You shouldn't lump us together like that. We aren't going to all turn into your mother."

"Name one."

"Let's see. I survived a car crash that robbed me of my parents, my mother dying in my arms." She started. "I was then shipped off to an uncle who despised the very fact I lived, and was abused by him for three years. I then lived with family who actually cared about me, but by then it was too late. The damage had been done. Fast-forwarding my life, two of my friends were tortured into insanity by three Deatheaters, and now they can never be the parents to their son that they wanted to be, and I am now a mother of two children, a daughter who, unless some miracle happens, won't ever see her father again because of a crime he didn't commit and a godson whose parents were murdered by an insane maniac. Yet here I stand, not broken after all I've gone through and more. " She replied looking at him.

"Your move."

He was silent, waiting for to throw out a laugh. But she didn't, she just gave a mirthful smirk.

"Do you still blame yourself? For everything that happened in your life?" He asked.

"Yes and no. But I'm dealing with it." She replied. "Try and deal with yours."

"Can I interrupt?"

They looked up to see Rosetta. "I just came to tell you that the auror's are contacting the Minister and his wife."

"Great." Giacintro grumbled in exasperation. "My short career will be over by tomorrow morning when the citizens and workers at the newspaper find out that the kids were stolen under my watch from a godforsaken skylight."

"They don't know?" Moria asked strangely.

"No. The only ones who know at this point are the aurors. All Ministry personal aren't allowed in. That includes the staff of the Minister's home."

"The skylight…" Moria murmured dimly, and Giacintro groaned.

"Don't remind me."

"…that fucking butler."

Moria suddenly sprang up and slammed down a galleon for the drink she hadn't even picked up. Rosetta and Giacintro looked at her as though she had lost her mind.

"…with the candlestick in the dining room?" Rosetta asked uncertainly earning another light smack on the back of the head. "Ow!"

"Not from the game!" She snapped. "If only the aurors know about the skylight, how is it that I walked past Dinapoli wailing in languish about how they were taken?! He knew that the skylight had been messed with!" She hissed out. The other two looked at her in surprise. Then they copied her movements and after Giacintro had slammed down money for the shot took off after her. It couldn't have been a coincidence. There was no possible way it could have been a coincidence. Coincidences didn't happen like that. Moria only prayed that they weren't too late.

"He must have stunned me, made it look like they used the skylight to take the kids, and used the servants corridors to escape!" Giacintro figured as they hurried down the street.

"Which means his whole purpose of joining the Minister's crew was planned from the very beginning. He knew he would have been picked up for his previous jobs!" Rosetta concluded

"Rosetta apparate back to where Lucio is and tell him what we've figured out. Muraro and I will head over to where he lives."

"Got it!" Rosetta replied.

"Where's Dinapoli live?" Giacintro asked.

"He has an apartment here, but he wouldn't be dumb enough to bring three terrified kids there. Too noticeable. It has to be his mother's old home. It's in Viareggio."

"Understood." Rosetta claimed and turned on the spot. Moria grabbed Giacintro's wrist.

"Hang on!" She yelled out and turned on the spot, and the world became a violent blur of colors.

Then darkness became her companion once again.

**REALLY REGRETTING MAKING OGGIE'S DIALOGUE SO DIFFERENT...BUT OH WELL. SO WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK?**


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